Oak Tree Bend Where There is a Flame

...Someone's bound to get burned

@Jessie <3

The sun was just rising above the touring Sierra Hills, poking out between broad bands of silvery clouds, casting persimmon rays down over the land, coloring the hills in bands of bright crimson, and shadowed bistre. As had become routine for him, Drestig was already up and patrolling along the borders, starting down along the foot of the red cliffs, where the pack's main water source trickled along  in its lazy autumn saunter. Being alpha was a stressful job, the responsibility of everyone's safety and well being resting squarely on his shoulders; And Spieden's... No longer could he pick and choose what tasks to do, coming and going as he pleased, no quick hunts or casual scouting trips. Usually he was too busy to even think of such things, always there was something to do, someone to talk to or something to check up on. Only in the mornings, while he made his first rounds, did his mind have some time to wander. With Triell's return it had become easier, some of the pressure taken off him with the younger man back to act support. And yet he was even more anxious than before, every glimpse of the dark Tainn making his older counterpart's heart race, mind reeling as he feared that this would be the day, that the he would approach him. So far it had yet to happen, but he felt constantly on edge; It least I'm more free to trek out now... It didn't really cheer him up, he couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so uncertain and it wore him out. But these mornings were nice, when the warmth was just starting to burn away the cold that had started to bite at night. Recently he had been sleeping a lot better than he had all summer; Probably because I'm so tired out, I sleep like a rock as soon as I lie down! That at least, was something to be happy about, the horrid nightmares seemed to have left. And he woke up fresh and energized, ready to tackle a new day; So what will this one bring? Only time would tell.   Word count: 358 Thoughts ”Speech”

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She had made it a daily ritual of hers to visit where Hotei’s body had been buried. By now, sometimes when she was troubled she would unconsciously follow the trail that she had come to know so well. Luckily, no one had caught her snooping on her dead lover’s grave. Jessie had decided that her life was easier to tolerate when she spoke to him, even if she received no response. The widow would always leave with a heavy heart but reminded herself that she was one day closer to being reunited with him. The Tainn would never think of ending her life because it was wrong and she had a duty to her pack, but every day her soul continued to die and she wasn’t sure how much longer her heart would last.

The pepper and salt colored lady had already started making her way back from her dead husband’s grave, her eyes cast on the ground in front of her. Jessie knew that she needed to make up for the time she was in her little state of nothingness and had been doing what she could inside the territory. Once, she had dared to leave, only to visit Iopah before she had promptly returned home. She found that her heart hurt too intensely when she was away from the Bend for too long. Since that day, Jessie couldn’t bring herself to leave the territory unless her duty demanded it of her.

She continued to move through the territory mindlessly, only stopping when a familiar scent blew passed her. Lifting her snout slightly, Jessie inhaled, clarifying that Drestig was, indeed, nearby. She was hesitant in going to him, having tried to steer clear of him since he had come into leadership. She still wasn’t sure how to feel about it since Triell had returned. Surely, she trusted him but it was hard for her to process that he was above her now. However, he had certainly helped her through her darkest moments and Jessie considered him the closest thing of a friend. And so, she set out to see him.

Following his trail was the easy part, the hard part came when she found him and she was unsure of how to go about calling out to him. She made her face blank, figuring that it was the safest bet right then. She didn’t exactly know what she wanted to speak with him about, she just felt the need to be around him. She felt a sense of friendly safety when she was around him and stability was exactly what she needed. So softly, she called out to him, a slight sense of hesitancy in her voice, “Hey, Drestig…do you have a minute?” There was no sense of urgency in her voice, because truly, she didn’t know what she wanted out of this meeting. Perhaps, she would be able to make better sense of things as time went by.

To be disturbed in this precious time of peace was the last thing the dark alpha wanted, and so, when he heard paws approaching, he had to fight to suppress a frown. The day had barely begun and already there was need of him; But that is what leadership is, I guess... Plastering on a neutral face of his own, the man halted, waiting for the approacher to announce themselves. Though when a voice rang from behind, he was pleasantly surprised. He hadn't expected her, they had seen so little of each other lately, and she certainly hadn't been seeking him out, yet now she was there, and it made him oddly happy. Spinning around to face the grey scout, Drestig raised his ears and tail, waving the later gently in the air. Ember orbs took in her grey form as it emerged from the trees, lingering there for a moment before moving to meet her emerald gaze. She was looking healthier and healthier every time he saw her, certainly a far cry from the emaciated wolf he had had to pick up off the ground those months earlier. A lazy smile curved his lips, eyes winkling. "Certainly, Jessie." He rumbled warmly, head tilting a little. As always, her mood was hard to gauge, carefully indifferent expression hiding any underlying emotion. He'd learned long ago though, that this didn't mean she wasn't feeling things, time had simply taught her to hide it. So now he waited silently, to see what her mask was covering up today; Though I might have some idea...   Word count: 262 Thoughts ”Speech”

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(This post was last modified: Jan 17, 2016, 04:34 PM by Drestig.)

As she arrived, her emerald eyes were instantly drawn to his drawn banner. She almost retreated, deciding that this meeting would be a mistake, but her paws took her onwards, closer towards him. It seemed to be Drestig’s habit to look upon her in such an intent manner, perhaps searching to see if she had been taking care of herself. It had taken awhile but she was sure that this was the best that it would be for quite some time. Swallowing slightly to moisten her throat, she spoke, voice blunt and cold, ”I wanted to know…how you were fairing? The duty of an alpha is no easy task.” She looked away from him then, stopping a while away from where he stood. She was no longer happy in the Bend. Truthfully, she hated it. She hated Spieden, she hated who left, and she could hardly even stand the children. All that kept her there was Hotei’s grave, her oath to her pack, and Drestig. Even if she got the blessing of two, she would never be able to leave her former lover’s grave, even if the site was slightly outside the territory. She wouldn’t have the heart to return and she wouldn’t condone Hotei to being left alone for years until she passed. Nor did she know where she would be able to go. She would confirm such fears to know one and would doubtfully reveal just how unhappy she was in Oak Tree Bend. Distracted by her own thoughts of treason, she turned her emerald gaze back towards Drestig’s amber ones, tuning back in to hear his answer.

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There is a family of deer nearby. Hunt Opportunity

He noticed her hesitation, confusion flickering through his gaze. Uncertainly, he lowered his tail, flicking one ear sideways, questioningly. In the end she continued, a few more steps, but he couldn't catch her eyes, and she kept her distance, speaking without looking directly at him. He flinched a little at her tone, though he was used to her blunt manner, this seemed meaner than her usual indifference. As ever, it was impossible to tell what lay behind, but he felt certain there was a deeper reason for her seeking him out; Only time could tell when, and if, she was gonna let him in on it. Sitting himself down, Drestig took his time in responding, weighing just how honest he should be. His first impulse was, as always, to make a snarky remark, but something held his tongue. Normally he wasn't afraid of hurting her with his teasing, she was thick skinned; And yet… There was something about her today. Tuning his head, the dark man followed her gaze out over the water, blinking at the slowly increasing light. Finally he spoke, tone thoughtful: "It's hard work, but I like it. I think… A part of me always wanted it." He smiled crookedly, looking back at the grey lady; "Though I do miss the peace and quiet sometimes, always someone's needing to talk to me." Seemed in the end, he couldn't resist the urge, just to give a little prick. But he quickly grew serious again, watching her from under wrinkled brows. Her body might look healthy again, but there was still something, something about her that wasn't quite in its place, that wasn't quite like it used to be; Like a shadow… It was hardly unreasonable, that she would change, she had lost something she could never get back, something irreplaceable. But she had lost before, that much he knew. Hotei had once told him that she used to be different, not so closed off, but continued losses were bound to take their toll. He couldn't even imagine this Jessie, this character that supposedly approached others with friendliness, speaking openly about her feelings; But perhaps… She's not ALL different. And he realized that he didn't want her to lose that part of herself, that last part who might just allow others in. "How are you?" He asked in a low, inscrutable voice, watching her closely; "You look… Better." There was a tiny sting in the word, as if to imply: Not all better.   Word count: 414 Thoughts ”Speech”

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(This post was last modified: Jan 17, 2016, 04:34 PM by Drestig.)

The woman noticed quickly when Drestig sat down. Deciding that she was far enough away from him, Jessie followed in suite, her ears flicking forward to hear his response. The Scout’s opinion of the man’s rise to leadership had been quite close to what he had described. He seemed to have come to himself and the shift appeared to have helped him with his mourning. Perhaps it was because he had something to do all the time or some other reason entirely, but it suited him well and she was proud of him. He would, of course, have to beat that out her and so she was sure he would never hear her utter such words. At his snarky comment, she almost dismissed herself, at first believing that he was being serious. A few moments later, however, her brain acknowledged that he was just being the stereotypical asshole he was so good at being. There were no words to acknowledge his answer to her question, just a dip of her head in response. He continued to observe her and she shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. Usually, she did not bother caring when others looked at her, but there was something different about this. Jessie could not figure what he was looking for this time and that disturbed her. When he spoke, she listened his question just a reminder of what she had become. A recluse, a widow. Her ears flickered slightly at his tone, which was hard to understand. She peered at him, her voice hard when she replied, ”But am I?” The gray woman flinched at her own tone, a long sigh escaping her as she once again avoided contact with the man. She took a moment before she turned back towards him, softening her voice softly, ”I didn’t come here to talk about me…I came to talk about you and Serach and everything that has happened.”

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There was a clear difference from his usual interactions with the grey woman. Her reactions were slow and she seemed much more self-aware than usual, fidgeting under his gaze. The oaken leader furrow his brow. Of course he could hardly expect her to just go back to what she used to be, but there was something unsettling about this Jessie. Her harsh tone made him flinch slightly, eyes widening at the statement, she sounded so definitive; Like she's lost hope… The raven man felt suddenly bad about his jab – it was so easy to taunt her, the quips simply rolling off his tongue – but her defenses were down now, she couldn't deflect his words as easily as she used to. For a moment they were both staring at their paws, as Drestig tried to find a proper facial expression. He wasn't gonna pity her, he'd decided from the get go, but he had to remember that she was still healing. In the end it was her voice that brought his head back up, the change in tone making his lips purse, head tilting lightly. He looked at her with puzzled eyes, brows once more wrinkled at the peculiar words. "Serach?" The leader felt a chill of worry along his spine; What's happened to him? The last thing they needed was more bad news. Though, Jessie hadn't seemed like she brought urgent news. Straightening his back, Drestig settled in, folding his face in the most serious expression he mastered. "I supposed there have been a lot of… changes recently." He agreed carefully, raising one brow pointedly as a request for her to elaborate. Something about the way she said it made him uneasy; What exactly are her feelings about… THIS? He wondered. Their positions had somewhat switched when he stepped up in Triell's place, and while he didn't exactly strut around, demonstrating his dominance, nor had any intention of asserting himself over his former mentor; Well, the dynamic has changed… And knowing Jessie, she might not be too pleased about it.   Word count: 340 Thoughts ”Speech”

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(This post was last modified: Jan 17, 2016, 04:34 PM by Drestig.)

She watched him carefully now, trying to understand what he was thinking. Drestig had never been open with her and she had always tried to find out what he meant through his body language. But, as it happened, it appeared that he had already grasped a master on that. The grey dame swallowed nervously. He inquired about Serach and she would be sure to tell him while he simply confirmed what she already said. So much had changed, what she had once thought of as her home was now her own personal hell. To not dwell on such thoughts, she proceeded, ”Yes…at the meeting he inquired about going on a scouting trip to go see his sister. He was ignored and I believe it would be in the interest for family and pack matters if the trip was made.” Her tone was professional, the one she had come to perfect over her years and perhaps, the one that Drestig had come accustomed to on their long scouting trip together. And then it was broken. Her eyes shifted away from him once again and towards his large paws, cheeks flushing as she shifted from paw to paw. The grey woman’s brow creased, as if concerned or confused and her lips pursed in thoughts. She stuttered over her words, ”I mean to inquire, that is, if it is alright…what I’m trying to say is.” She paused as if in thought before blurting out what she had to say, ”What do you wish to be addressed as?” Even she winced at her wording, keeping her emerald eyes trained on the ground from the embarrassment of it all. It had not been a problem with anyone that came before her. Spieden, she just ignored so it was easy to avoid giving her a specific title. But before, the leaders were wolves that she knew were better, and that she hadn’t helped honed their skills. Where Drestig had once been below her and then her equal, it was hard for her to think of him as anything other than that.

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@Jessie You can wrap up in your next post, unless she has more to say :3

She definitely seemed tense, and her tone was carefully business-like; Though that was nothing new from Jessie. Still, it was clear to the ebony man that she was not comfortable in the situation, and that in turn made him feel on edge. Her words too, contributed to his unease, the reminder of Serach and the unfortunate incident at the meeting calling out embarrassment in the newly crowned leader. "Yes, I meant to speak to him. But then there was Darrah and… Before I could ask, he was gone." It was a bad excuse and he knew it too. He'd resolved to seek out the boy later, but had somehow forgotten, and every time since, when he had once again remembered, something else had gotten in the way. More excuses! And none of them good, none of them truly defending how ignored Serach must have felt. Drestig's gaze had turned away, the embarrassment making him unable to look Jessie in the eye, but he forced himself to return his full focus to her; "Thank you for reminding me, I agree we should go. I'll talk with Serach, I owe him an apology." Then a thin smile graced his lips, face still flush with shame, but a lightness to his shoulders, now that he thought the tension between them was cleared. But Jessie seemed, if possible, even more anxious than before. Now it was her turn to avert her eyes, and when she spoke again, she completely lagged the composure from before. The dark man didn't know whether to be amused or frightened by this radical change to her, usually so professional, demeanor; But he was leaning towards the later. Then she finally got her question out, and his smile grew wider, surprise making his eyes big and round. Of all the things she could have said, he would have never imagined this, and a surprised chuckle left him in response. "Jessie," He shook his head slowly, taking a few steps closer and lowering his head, to make her look at him. That she could even think to ask such a thing was completely ridiculous to him, but he could tell how much it bothered her, and so his voice was gentle, though not patronizing, as he said: "I am Drestig and I will always be Drestig, there's no need to address me as anything else. And don't you dare stop talking to me the way you always have!" He waited, for her to look him in the eye and show she understood. The very last thing he wanted was for others to start tip-toeing around him, bowing their head and mumbling sir or some such other thing. He liked being in charge, but he could sorely do without the formalities.   Word count: 459 Thoughts ”Speech”

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