Hearthwood River Seven Days

@Lachesis Here we are!

Seven Days. It had been seven days since her departure from Creo Creek and the determination to find him burned like a fire in her mix-matched eyes. Her visit with her brothers had caused her depression--accusations that it was her fault played like a song in her ears. For nearly a year she had stuck to her homeland washed over with grief over her parents illness and eventual rapid death, what was left after their departure from the earth had become small, insignificant, and barren. Her brothers blamed her for their parents decline, they assured her that their parents rapid decline in health was attributed to her selfish desire to be free of their beliefs--she was an Akhenaten, her future had already been planned for her since birth.

The pack was depended on her ability to bring in the land more puppies and when she refused she had left the pack vulnerable, as she was born of the last planned litter of her parents, and with no other females to carry on the Akhenaten, the pack had declined in health and numbers. Winter had been one of her most vulnerable times, she could hardly remember anything other than the constant attempt to protect her body from the pursuit of her brothers and when the season had died down and no puppies were conceived they accused her further, abusing her until she was much too weak to fight back. Abuse was a constant in Creo Creek, so much so that she assumed it to be her fate until her ultimate death; most nights she no longer had fight within her.

Her savior came in the form of a reminder of her former life in the Lore and of one wolf who seemed to make all of her worries disappear. She wondered of his fate, and furthermore, if he would even accept her back into his life after all that she had done, if he did not, she would not be angry. Her freedom came at a price, exile from her homeland and a few more nasty scars that would most likely never heal correctly but she had escaped with her future in her own hands and this excited her. She was destined to find him, even if it was with the last of her remaining strength. The trip had been hard on her frail body but she made it back to Relic Lore, the familiar scent of Heartwood Forest propelled her forward until she was at the border and she collapsed before she could call for him. Her knight in shining armor would never know how brave she had been in escaping to find him, and would probably grow tired of having to save her with each return that she made back to him.

so sorry for the wait love <3 @Bastet

With Naia being due any day now the ghostly leader did not stray far from the borders. Being both the father of her children and the pack’s healer (and the leader) his presence would be necessary at the birthing and Lachesis’ biggest fear was not hearing the scout’s call. Their relationship remained strictly professional during her pregnancy. It had been to secure the future of the pack and unify the remaining members — and future members. Despite their strong friendship, there was nothing romantic going on between the two wolves. Sure, they had a history that dated back to the days of Pitch Pine Trail, but it did not ever push the boundaries between friendship and something more.

Truthfully, Lachesis was not interested in something more period. He had grown accustom to the idea that those he opened up to would abandon him in the future so he kept to himself. The ghost had no desire to pursue anything — anyone — and was far more concerned about his current position in the pack. Prior to Maksim’s death the ghost had begun to realize that his position was not as temporary as he had hoped for. Hearthwood was Maksim’s legacy: he could not let it fall apart.

Karina had finally returned to the river as well, sporting her own swollen belly. It pained him to think that Maksim had not lived to see the birth of his grandchild, but it also pained him to know that the river princess had gone behind her parents back. She would not speak of the father and while the ghost had his suspicions, he dared not voice them. Without the company of his fallen king and his chocolate nephew, Lachesis’ thoughts remained under lock and key in the back corners of his mind.

In order to keep himself occupied the ghost meandered through the forest. The borders had been unusually quiet as of late, but he was thankful for the lack of commotion. Losing Maksim had been unexpected and made the last few days incredibly difficult. Part of Lachesis felt responsible for the king’s death. As the healer, it was his job to ensure his patients recovered. And when they did not he felt like a failure. Maksim had been making slow improvements and had been determined to return to his throne, so the drastic change in his health had come as an unwelcome surprise. It left the pale healer feeling lost. His friend of many years was gone… there would be no light banter or strategy to be discussed. The determined king had fallen after years of improving his pack and taking them all over Relic Lore in order to find a place that was right from them (and threat-free). It was a hard pill to swallow and it would take Lachesis some time to recover.

As he worked his way through the trees a familiar, foreign scent toyed with his senses. His brows knitted together in thought as he tried to put a name to the exotic scent that lured him to the borders of Hearthwood. It couldn’t be, he thought to himself as he paced through the trees, his chartreuse gaze fixated on where the tree line met the lowlands. The was a shape ahead — one that screamed familiarity — but his mind could not put a name to the figure. What alarmed him was that the creature was sprawled across the ground, exhausted and barely holding it together. His pace quickened as he approached the stranger, his limbs tense as realization kicked in.

No.

Disbelief consumed him as he took a step back, his upper lip curled back as he studied the smudge before him. She was one of the few that had abandoned him — abandoned Hearthwood. Without so much of an explanation, she had up and left. Months had passed — months without so much of a glimmer of the exotic fae. Why now — why had she decided to return now? Words failed him as an unexpected anger consumed him, burning furiously within him as a low growl rumbled from his chest to alert the wolf of his presence. He certainly was not happy to see the former Cut Rock scout. Too much time had passed since they had last seen each other; he refused to forgive her so easily for her unexcused absence. 

stick with those who stick with you

No problems, I made you wait equally as long! @Lachesis

She sputtered, a rough cough forced from her lungs as she panted in an attempt to catch her breath, and calm herself down. She was not labored from traveling as much as she was from fear of someone finding her out, it was relatively easy for her siblings to track her down and bring her back, despite every effort she took in making sure that her scent could not be followed. Anxiety caused her to hear sounds that were not necessarily there but she closed out these sounds to concentrate all her attention on finding Lachesis, the very wolf she had purposely came back for--desperate in wait, her heart leaped at the sound of approaching feet. The low growl emitted from his maw was not the welcoming sound she'd expected from the alabaster wolf, but it soon became just a noise in the background.

Her head lifted to stare at him groggily, a weak smile spread the length of her lips as excitement caused her to strain her muscles to gather to her height in hopes of touching him, she longed for his touch and the smell that often accompanied him; a mixture of herb and moss that had often sent chills down her spine. She winced through the pain, her mix-matched eyes sought to focus on his ghostly white coat before lingering on the pale color of his eyes, his handsome features forced a smile that readily retreated when one did not greet her back.

 He was not excited to see her and he expected as much, the pain she had likely caused for leaving gave him every right to be angry but that did not stop the movement in her long, wispy tail as it thumped fast on the cold ground. "Lachesis, do you remember me?" her voice was hoarse, as her dry mouth struggled to project words to express her feelings. "It's me, Ubasti... I've missed you so much." she admitted as her head lowered toward the ground from guilt. It had been so long since she'd seen the alabaster king, and it had no doubt been her fault.

(This post was last modified: Jun 08, 2016, 07:57 AM by Bastet.)

Avatars by Becca! Thank you!

He did not step forward. He did not seek comfort in her return, nor did he want to comfort her. She had left him without a word — something that he did not forgive so easily. It was the third time that a female had left him without an explanation. It was a game that he was growing tired of and did not have time for. His main concern was Naia and ensuring that he was doing his job as leader of the river wolves. XIX did not want to tarnish the memory of his former king and have Hearthwood crumble around him. During one of their last conversations the late king had stated that this was the place he wanted to spend the rest of his days, and Lachesis had agreed. He had grown tired of moving around (despite his wanderlust desires that occasionally crept into his heart) and did not want to see the Baranski’s legacy fall apart.

She moved toward him, reaching for him, but he retreated. His expression remained the same: features smooth with only his nose wrinkled, teeth threatening to show from behind his liquorice lips. Instinct told him to flee — to abandon her at the borders of Hearthwood and leave her for someone else to find. Kisla would not be pleased to see the raven; the river wolves were not forgiving when it came to disloyalty. It was his overwhelming curiosity that kept him glued to the spot, his forehead creased and eyes dark. What had caused her to leave and why? Why had she left without telling him; telling the pack? His frown deepened as he remained tight-lipped.

She spoke suddenly, filling the air between them with the exotic accent he had grown to love before her disappearance. Now it did nothing for him. She claimed that she had missed him but why had it taken her so long to return? “Yes, I remember you,” he responded coolly, his chin angled upward. He wanted to ask where she had gone, why it had taken so long for her to return, but he swallowed the words the moment they entered the back of his throat. No, she could explain herself to him. He did not want to be the one to pry. It was her story to tell. 

stick with those who stick with you

She's so dramatic! *eye roll* XD @Lachesis

She hated this game. He was avoiding her, and the situation and in response she felt disconnected, unwanted and naïve to have assumed that he, of all wolves, would have been excited that she had returned to him, alive. The physical and verbal abuse she'd sustained from her brothers had made her more emotional, and quick to anger as her ears grew warm and the area surrounding her cheeks grew taunt--what was his problem? She didn't necessarily expect a welcome party from him, she didn't require the fuss over her return, but she expected him to at least show some emotion that she had come back to him in the middle of the night against all odds. Wasn't that enough for him? "You didn't miss me?" she asked, weak muscles moved to tilt her head as she waited for his response. In the midst of waiting, her thick tail had stopped moving after realizing that perhaps he would not be taking her back to Heartwood.

The Lachesis that stood before her held a particular air of arrogance around him, and she remembered the brief stint he'd held as alpha of the land having shared with her his desire to only see that Maksim grew stronger so that he could relinquish the crown back, judging from his stance she expected that Maksim had not healed as expected. She thought once more of herself, of her predicament, and pondered whether she could return to Heartwood given her condition, perhaps he was better off never seeing her again.  "Would you rather me leave Lach? Forever?" and her eyes bore deep into his, never wavering, as she waited for him to tell her exactly what he wanted from her.

(This post was last modified: Jun 17, 2016, 10:24 AM by Bastet.)

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There are several fresh rabbit tracks in the mud. Hunt Opportunity

silly SoW account, totally missed your response until now >.> @Bastet 
I APOLOGIZE FOR LACH BEING COLDHEARTED BIATCH

Truly he did not know if he missed the raven-coloured wolf. Things did not feel the same but the longer he looked at her, the harder it was to ignore the old feelings that threatened to resurface. He swallowed them, not daring to allow them to distort his thoughts. The anger he felt was enough to dissolve any feelings of empathy he was harbouring. If she had not been the third wolf to disappear from his life without an explanation, perhaps he would have been excited to see her mismatched eyes. Her arrival was bittersweet. He did not know if she was here to stay, or if she had returned to let him know that she was alive and was just passing through. The ghost was happy to know that she was, indeed, alive, but he did not know if he wanted her to stay. Or if Kisla would allow her to rejoin the river wolves

“You left,” he responded after a pregnant pause, his brows knitted together as he studied the raven before him, “without an explanation. I had a pack to lead — to take care of. I didn’t have time to miss you,” he added as explanation, his lips curling into a sneer around his words. He did not mean to be so malicious, but it was difficult being abandoned three times. It was not something that could be forgotten so easily.

She spoke again, this time in a more frantic tone, her words taking a dramatic turn. “Is that what you want?” He asked, voice sharp as his head dipped to the side. “Why did you come back, Bastet? Did you think everything was going to be just as you left it?” He was no longer the timid, cautious creature he had been prior to Bastet’s disappearance. Lachesis had grown confident in who he was and was not willing to allow another female to cloud his judgement. 

stick with those who stick with you

@Lachesis I guess this thread can take whatever turn huh? @-@

Building rage allowed her to forget the pain that had previously been radiating throughout her worn paws, instead she focused on the once kind eyes of the male her heart had usually skipped a thousand beats over, and for the briefest of moments, she felt her own lips turn upward in a snarl from anger. She was not certain whether she liked the new Lachesis that was standing before her, and nothing had prepared her the cold shoulder he was currently displaying.

A sharp shiver came down her spine, most likely a reaction from the guilt she was feeling, and she finally averted his assertive gaze to glance at her dark paws, in the midst her jaws had grown taut as she bit back the hurricane of emotions that threatened to emit from her face. His words had hit her hard, and she spoke through the discomfort that formed in her gut, "I know that I missed a lot, and I'm sorry." she felt that her apologies would be falling on deaf ears but she truly felt the hurt that she had caused him, never before had Lachesis lacked this much emotion, but it was often a reaction to having been deserted.

"No, Lach I did not but I came back for you. For us. Or what ever is left..." her voice had suddenly grown smaller, her body seemed to drop in attempt to disappear from him and run from the rush of feelings that filled her stomach with uncomfortable butterflies. She wanted this-- him, and yet she wanted to fight it in fear of leaving him again. Her safety was of immediate concern, she knew that others were still in search of her to bring her back home to help build up their birth pack.   "I want to stay with you Lach, I really do." her ears fell backward on her skull as her eyes grew sad from hurt and guilt. Had he even wanted her back, damaged and all? "Help me." Love me her conscious whispered, wanting some kind of emotion from the gangly male in front of her.

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lachie try and play nice ;___; <3 @Bastet

He wanted to believe her — more than anything — but he had heard it all before. Empty promises followed by hollow words… he did not know what to believe. A frown creased his snout as he studied her, perplexed by the desperation in her voice. This was a side of her he had not seen before. Usually it was her with the sharp tongue and trying to pull him out of his anxieties, not the other way around. She had been there for him during his worst, and while he wanted to return the favour, Lachesis didn’t know if he could. Bastet had known how devastated he had been after both Capella and Anastasia abandoned him, yet she had done the same to him? It didn’t make sense.

“I want to believe you,” he started, voice softer than it had been previously, “I want to believe you’re sorry…” His voice trailed off, chartreuse gaze falling to his oversized paws as his tongue fumbled over the words he wanted to say. “Show me you want to be here.” His gaze flitted upward, catching her mismatched pools. “Show me you want to be here with me.” He didn’t know if he would regret his words later, but they danced off his tongue before he had a chance to reconsider.

His expression remained stone cold, not once wavering despite the erratic thumping in his chest. The ghost king did not know how Kisla would react to Bastet’s return, especially after she had abandoned the river wolves. While he wanted to chase her away from Kingsfall, Lachesis knew that they needed numbers — and a part of him, although he refused to admit it aloud, missed her. “There will be no second chances if you leave again,” he stated after a pregnant pause, his lips tight against his teeth. “You want to stay in Hearthwood, with me? Start at the bottom. Show me that you want to be here, Bastet.” He repeated, his voice growing soft once more as he studied the raven. There would be no games — he did care about her, despite his frigid exterior, but he would not be abandoned yet again. 

stick with those who stick with you

@Lachesis <3!

She straightened her poise when he spoke, her gaze shifted to stare into eyes that had once seemed to smile at the mere glance of her as she swallowed the words he threw at her--his trust had been shattered, but she could not blame him. She had felt much the same way when he had chosen Anastasia and Capella over her, shattering her heart and filling it instead with a coldness that was unlike her. The wolf she was staring at was not the same, at yet, she knew that with time, she would love it. "Start at the bottom...how?" her voice felt small again as she questioned just what he meant by starting at the bottom, was she to be the omega or worse, fight tooth and claw for his heart once more.

She fought back the urge to cry, an overwhelming amount of emotions had suddenly taken over her as she thought of what a promise to him could lead to. If she made one mistake, if anything lead her off course and away from him, then a chance at his heart would forever be gone, and yet she knew that avoiding it could potentially be worse. She did not even want to imagine the level of dislike he could harbor if she managed to disappear from him again. As she stood in front of him, vulnerable, weak and cold, she knew that there were no longer any other options for her. "I will do what ever you want Lach..." her voice cracked, lips trembled as she shifted her gaze from him when a tear had grown too fat and began to roll down her cheek. There was no turning back now, and fear riddled her body as she thought of the future; who knew that promises could feel this bad?

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