Secret Woodlands Walking Alone in this Empty House

Ashanti Aranna
Maybe my heart isn't that whole

Motherly Daughterly time?

Ashanti couldn't be happier or more concerned. She was really happy that things were working out in the pack, that everyone was fine. She was concerned about Nina, who was like a mother, a sister, family to her. Nina who had just lost one of her children to the winter. The others needed to be safe, to be honestly, Ashanti was a terrible teacher. Not once had she met with Danica, Bane and Ashton to teach them something new. She had to get better with that. She wandered around and then back to the den where she peeked inside to see if @Nina was there. Nina meant a great deal to her and they had not talked in a long while. "Nina? Are you in here?" She asked into the den.

She wasn't really sure what to do, her mind a bit jumbled. But her icy blue eyes held the old gaze. The happy one, the one that she held when she first joined Copper Rock Creek. Before all the sadness. She had moved past it all, and she felt like she had been too melodramatic. Too stressed out and depressed for far too long. She failed to do what she felt a healer needed to do sometimes. She failed to be there when others had issues, and she failed to stop wallowing in her tears and help others. Maybe Nina could help give her advice? She didn't know how to explain to Bane, well Miccah to Nina if they had met yet, that she had a child.

(This post was last modified: Dec 01, 2013, 11:05 PM by Ashanti.)

Nina had just returned home a few days prior to a longer than expected trip to Whisper Caverns and Willow Ridge. She was not in the den resting like she should have been, rather looking for any sort of prey that could be of use to her family. Lately she had noticed that the herds had left the lore quicker than usual, which should have been expected considering how cold it was right then. It was far colder than it should have been this time of year and it caused her to worry for the development of the pack along with three of the packs most important members: Ashton, Bane, and Danica. If the pack wasn’t well nourished then their development could suffer and the alpha did not want another repeat after what happened with Tacoma. The mother still mourned and the fact that her love was not there by her side to comfort her just made the facts even worse. She had needed to lean on Mirren, a yearling, but probably another who she viewed as her child, she had, after all, taken care of him as a pup too.

She had been looking around in the forest when the voice of Ashanti caught her off guard. Swiveling her head in the direction that her friend’s voice was coming in the direction of, Nina changed her path and started towards where her new second in command was. Twitching her ears and wagging her tail behind her, she bounded towards the path that she was taking, making sure to not step on any thorns in the process. She traveled lightly and when she got towards where she needed to be she slowed down and opened her mouth to speak, "I’m right here, Ashanti. Is there something you need?" Nina had not seen the former Copper Rock Creek member in some time now but from the looks of it she did not seem to be doing badly. Unlike the last times that Nina had seen her, the woman looked to be filled with much more life than she had in the past, which was good after the incident during the spring. The fact that her member had needed to go through such a thing had once angered her, but now that everything was settled the only thing Nina felt was relief, and that was only because it seemed that Ashanti was much healthier than she had been and she was moving forward from the horrid thing that haunted her past.

It seems when you're around, my life is complete.

Ashanti Aranna
Maybe my heart isn't that whole

<3

Ashanti gave a smile when she heard Nina's voice. She listened, thought about an answer and responded. "Hi Nina, and yes, I need some advice. So I'm not sure if you've met him yet or not, but there is a new man in the pack named Miccah. Well, his nickname was, and is to me, Bane. That's why I named Bane as Bane. He's a very dear friend of mine, in fact, he's family to me, I love him, have since I met him. I haven't seen him since I left my birth pack, and I'm trying to figure out how to explain to him that I have a child." A bit of worry in her voice. She couldn't help but think that he might be furious that she had a child, that he would want nothing more to do with him.

She took a deep breathe and looked to her alpha, swiftly lowering her tail which she had forgotten to do upon Nina's arrival. She was almost desperate for help with the situation and she knew Nina always gave excellent advice. But if he loves me than should it matter? She asked herself, and she answered herself too. Of course it matters! She clearly wasn't getting the picture. Asha sat down where she was and hoped Nina could help her out a bit. She was torn, she really was. Although there was one thing she was sure of, no pups, not a chance. She hated being pregnant with Bane, so why go through that again.

(This post was last modified: Dec 02, 2013, 12:56 AM by Ashanti.)

Look Out!

A fight broke out between two male mountain goats. Hunt Opportunity

It seemed as though her friend and subordinate did need something from her. Guidance was always something that her pack mates had come to her for in the past, so it was no surprise to her now that Ashanti was coming to her for advice. The alpha’s ears pricked forward, recognition showing in her eyes when Ashanti mentioned Miccah. So she had known that he had been accepted into the pack. This was good to know for the future, as Nina would be sure to treat him much more kindly. She frowned when she heard the woman’s dilemma. The alpha could understand where the young woman was coming from but she also knew what it was like to fall in love. One lie and everything could be ruined forever. Shifting uneasily from side to side, she let out a long sigh before studying the features of the tortured girl in front of her. What Ashanti had gone through…it was something that she had not deserved, but that didn’t mean she could keep it hidden. Finally, after what she was sure was a few excruciating slow moments, her jaws parted and words slipped easily off her lips, <b style="color:#008080">”You need to tell him the truth…the whole truth. A repeat of a wolf’s bane would never be good.” The woman blushed furiously and was thankful that her fur covered her skin in that moment. Repeating her words in her head she realized that she probably sounded like a babbling idiot. Clearing her throat, she tried again, this time, without trying to speak in a riddle, <b style="color:#008080">”It would not be pleasant. A repeat of what Bane went through.” There. Her words made much more sense that time around and Nina was thankful that she was getting better at rephrasing what she was saying, though sometimes when she wasn’t completely thinking about what she was thinking they would just slip out. That was okay though because she was different.

It seems when you're around, my life is complete.

Ashanti Aranna
Maybe my heart isn't that whole

<3

Ashanti nodded to Nina and she listened, the woman she considered to be a mother to her had told her to tell the truth. The issue wasn't whether or not to tell the truth though, it was how she was going to tell him. How could she just tell the wolf that meant so much to her what had happened and expect him to not be furious? She had failed to protect herself, something she had promised her family that she would do. "I intend on telling him the truth, everything. I just don't know how to Nina." She said, her voice shaking as the words slowly came out of her muzzle.

A small frown reached her, the words that she had thought up, an explanation to him, nothing was worded the way that might be easiest to understand and it worried her. If she couldn't tell him, then she'd have to live with the guilt and the pain that she might lose Miccah. She couldn't let it happen. There was desperation evident in her eyes when she had told Nina. She wanted to tell him the truth, but if she couldn't explain it right, then he might misunderstand and leave them all for good. It would leave a hole in her heart, another one, that could never be filled. He would do to her what countless others had, what Isen had done. What everyone who had abandoned her had done. There weren't many, but those who had, were dear and close to her. She still had Nina though. Nina was like her mother. She was always there.

The mother had always been one to care for those who she had become close to. She would always listen and found that she rarely talked to those who actually needed her guidance because they ended up finding the answer within themselves. In Nina’s opinion, anyone had the answer to a question regarding their personal life and knew it was not her place to question their motives. Never had Nina had a problem when helping out a friend, but it seemed that now Ashanti was not getting the help she needed and Nina doubted that she would be able to answer her question that would satisfy the other mother. Her words rang in her head and a small frown was on the woman’s face. Her confusion, however, was delitescent and the alpha silently pondered her words carefully before turning back to the woman that she viewed as her daughter. Pursing her lips, she looked throughout the thickets quickly before letting her gaze rest back onto the white woman. Sighing softly, Nina opened her jaws to speak and knew that this was the best she could do for Ashanti, <b style="color:#008080">”You can never plan on what you are going to say to someone, my dear, but I’m sure it will come to you. Flowers are very intelligent.” She blinked her single-eyed gaze a few times and looked down slightly. She might have been an alpha but sometimes she felt awkward when it came to relationships between others. Clearing her throat, she spoke gently and suggestively, <b style="color:#008080">”Perhaps you should spend some more time with your son as well…when was the last time you spoke to him?” The alpha lifted her head slightly and perked her ears forward, curious about the answer that her subordinate would give her, because Nina was sure that she had seen much more of Bane in his lifetime than his own mother had. Usually this would bother Nina, but she had become attached to the young lad and couldn’t bring herself to part from his side.

It seems when you're around, my life is complete.

Ashanti listened and she was confused. How was she suppose to not think about what she was going to say to the man she loved? How could she not think about how to explain that she had a child? Ashanti listened further as Nina suggested spending some time with Bane and a sudden sadness appeared in her eyes. "Nina, he hates me. If I were to try, he would shut me out just like he did when I told him about his father.... I-I don't know what to do." She murmured with sadness inflicted in her voice. "He goes to you for everything Nina... I'm a terrible mother." She told herself bitterly as she looked at her paws. She love Bane very much, but she didn't think that he realized it.

"When I told him... abut his father. It was Hollow, Bane and I...I told him the story and he muttered something about being a mistake and he's been distant ever since... I think that he's broken all family ties with me Nina. Miccah's arrival.... I do not think it will help with the situation. I'm lost and confused. I don't know who else to turn to." She pleaded to her alpha who always had such great advice. Maybe she could give her some helpful information as to how to deal with the situation. Everything I can try; would it help? Would it help if I tried to talk to my son more? Would it help to try to get to know what he's feeling like? It must.

(This post was last modified: Jan 06, 2014, 05:05 AM by Ashanti.)

The mother listened to her subordinate with open ears, not denying her words but not encouraging them either. Ashanti had been more of an absentee mother than Nina had, which was something that brought concern to the alpha in regards to some things. Luckily, Nina had been able to take the boy under her wings and nurture him like she would her own, just as she had done with the Tainn siblings when they had been born to her former charges. She had learned much about Bane in their time spent together and found that he was certainly the most intelligent of the three children within the pack and instead of envy, Nina only felt proud of the strong, dark boy. He had risen up against challenges faced was now stronger, much stronger than he would have been if the alpha had not allowed him stay.

And now, it seemed with the new presence of her fallen angel, Ashanti would be neglecting her son even more, and for that Nina felt a sharp tug at her heart. It was almost pity but she knew how Bane loathed such a thing, and so she kept it buried in the depths of her soul. Clenching her jaw tightly before she spoke, she took a deep breath and tilted her head towards the white woman, her mouth set in a straight line. Taking a deep breath, she spoke, ”Your son…is very intelligent, and it is why I wish you to heed my words as a friend…and not as me denying you something that I’m sure you want. Is the happiness of yourself and your childhood sweetheart worth the happiness of your only son?” she did not hold her breath, but she watched the white woman’s reaction, waiting to see what her decision would be. She had learned that in order to be an alpha, being selfish was one thing that couldn’t cross your mind and for Nina that had been no problem and being a mother made it so much easier because she was already selfless, hopefully, Ashanti would understand this.

There is a rabbit's nest nearby. +1 Health