Turtleback Lake hear me now

tag for @Lilya wriggles eyebrows but open to anyone :3

When the ghost wasn’t beneath the canopy of trees that engulfed Hearthwood he was usually stalking the shores of the lake south of the lowlands. In warmer months it was abundant with medicinal plants and, as one of the main water sources in the north, it was also frequented by prey. It was also the perfect place to seek solitude, when there were no herbs to collect or prey to hunt.

In the four—almost five—years he had called Relic Lore home he had experienced more than he ever would have behind the walls of the Reserve. The good heavily outweighed the bad, but he was still thankful for them. Everything that had happened to him, whether it was good or bad, had shaped him. XIX had stumbled into these strange lands an anxious, stuttering mess; if it had not been for the wolves he had encountered along the way, he would not have developed into the mostly confident wolf he was today.

Snow still dusted the ground, but as the temperatures dropped it had slowly begun to turn into ice, crunching between his toes as he maneuvered through the trees. He could see the sleek, untouched surface of the lake ahead, peaking through the tree trunks; taunting him. The morning sun poked through the foliage, reaching for his pale fur. Spring would be on its way soon—but what did that mean for Hearthwood? The pack remained… comfortable; not shrinking, but not growing either. Would the river wolves see another litter this year? He frowned. It was looking like this year was going to be the first without a Hearthwood litter. The thought worried him—would they flounder without young ones running around? His frown deepened, cutting deep into his pale maw as he left the safety of trees behind. The edges of the lake were frozen over, along with the water encircling the islands. He dared not venture too close—just because they were frozen did not mean they were stable. Lachesis did not feel like taking a freezing swim on this already frigid morning.

Instead he folded his hindquarters against the ground, his pointed ears standing tall above his crown. He tried to shove his worries into the back corners of his mind. For now he wanted to enjoy his solitude.

(This post was last modified: Jan 24, 2017, 05:34 AM by Lachesis.)

stick with those who stick with you

@Lachesis - You know I can't resist the eye wriggle! Leaving her rank kinda in freeflow right now since her thread with Kisla isn't done

After her talk with Kisla, Lilya felt a sort of tension released from her shoulders, more confident than she might once have been. She’d left the familiar lands, the ones she’d called home for most of the year now… come spring she would have been a River wolf for a year. It was kind of surreal, in retrospect… the woman who was constantly running, afraid of her own shadow. She wasn’t that anymore. She wasn’t who she use to be, and a part of her had never felt more free… and yet a part of her worried, a part of her was terrified that she’d misjudged her enemies, her shadows and most of her dreams were nightmares, when she had them, involved seeing the River burn because of her.

She had to force herself out of the territory because she needed to clear her head and it all felt clouded when she was there, like she was just trapped in her dreams and unable to escape. It was suffocating. She let her brain take her to wherever it wanted with no questions, her subconscious leading her paws to the lake where things changed. Kisla and Jessie had got her mind turning, but it’d been the sage advice from Lachesis and the voice of Ruenna Tainn telling her that they weren’t coming after her that had allowed her the courage to seek down a permanent residence in the Hearthwood.

She didn’t know why her paws led her there… perhaps it was Lia still talking to her in the afterlife, pushing her towards the Lake but she didn’t know why. She’d never been normal exactly, always a little out there… She didn’t know why, at least, not until she saw the familiar ghost near the lake… and she froze. Should… should she talk to him, or… she didn’t know. He looked like he was in thought, and perhaps she shouldn’t interrupt.

(This post was last modified: Jan 24, 2017, 01:25 PM by Lilya.)

*looks at increasing pile of threads to respond to*
*looks at nams thread*
*responds right away b/c can't resist*
<3 @Lilya xcuse this awful post because i am le tired and need sleep

Relations with one of their neighbours was still strong but Lachesis was unsure how he felt about the other packs setting up camp in the expanse. The pack that had set up in the west, just south of the monadnock, had lingered far too long before finally claiming their territory. It worried Lachesis, but truthfully he was grateful that they steered clear of Kingsfall. However, their leader seemed to be on goodish terms with Kisla, which put the river wolves in a good position. Except the Whitestone wolves—Craw in particular—were not fond of the new addition. Lachesis wanted to maintain his relationship with the growing pack, for their alliance was far more important to him. They were closer in proximity and had the numbers to tear down Hearthwood if they needed to. XIX did not want to be put in that position.

But how would Kisla, or Lilya, feel about his choice in siding with the Whitestone wolves?

The scent of the latter suddenly filled his nose, pulling away from his thoughts. A small smile replaced the frown that had creased his features as his ears twitched in the direction of his blue-eyed friend. “I can hear you thinking all the way from here,” he said, suddenly, his voice soft. The healer’s chartreuse gaze was still focused on the smooth surface of water before him, his tail curling tighter around his folded hindlegs. Despite her anxious demeanour her presence was oddly comforting and always welcomed, even if he was craving solitude. 

stick with those who stick with you

-Literally does the same- Arla threads are life

Lilya had been keeping tabs on the situation – with the Whitestone wolves and the wolves of the Fields. Her opinion stood with the Kingsfall being Switzerland, though that opinion was bias to her previous experience with fights… but it was also due to the good standings they had with the Monadnock, along with her respect for Jessie – the woman had saved her life by warning her about the berries she’d been about to eat just before she joined the River. That was not something the woman would ever forget. Either way, she didn’t think her opinion necessarily mattered in that regard, regardless of her seemingly “high” ranking in the pack.

She thought, for a moment, her presence would go unnoticed and she could continue along her way, find a different part of the lake to occupy. She didn’t want to disturb him or anything. I can hear you thinking all the way from here. Shit. She jumped a little at the voice directed right at her, though quickly smoothed herself out, her paws carrying her in his direction despite her mind telling her to leave him be and turn back. She didn’t know what she was even going to say until the words came flying from her maw in a somewhat calm demeanor.

“Rabbit fer yer thoughts?” It was funny, she’d asked his son the same thing not too long ago, about what had been troubling the young boy. Despite her usually erratic and out-there behavior, she could have a level head from time to time… few and far in between, but seemingly one right now, and she didn’t know how to explain it.

@Lilya trying to break through my writer's block with lachya </3

Although he had addressed his blue-eyed friend XIX’s gaze did not waver from the smooth surface of the lake. Whether or not she wanted to join him was her choice—he would not force her to indulge in conversation if it was not what she wanted. Just when Lachesis felt as though he was beginning to understand her Lilya would stump him once more, making it near impossible to get to know the wolf beneath the agouti fur. She was an almost complete jigsaw puzzle, for every time he thought he neared completion, he’d discover a few missing pieces…

A soft smile rolled onto his pale maw as she approached, the space between them growing smaller with each step she took. Her question broke the comfortable silence that had engulfed the two of them, but he did not mind. XIX did not mind her interruptions—in fact, he preferred them. The healer glanced at the tawny wolf out of the corner of his eye, a sly grin working its way onto his dark lips. “You first,” he retorted almost instantly, a brow raised. Lachesis was curious as to how Lilya was doing after her visit to his infirmary. The ghost had given her something to chase away the nightmares the plagued her and instructed her to spend the night. Truthfully, the latter had been mostly for his benefit. While he was becoming a bit of a recluse as he grew older, Lachesis always slept better in the presence of another. Lilya’s presence had been warmly received and, truthfully, he would not be opposed to her making a habit of visiting him. For his own benefit, of course, as sleep evaded him as much as it did her.

stick with those who stick with you

<3 <3 <3 I HOPE IT HELPS BC I LOVE IT

The only way the blue-eyed sparrow herself knew how to explain was that he looked troubled – she’d turned her back on her blood family, perhaps when they needed her most… and she wasn’t going to do that with the River wolves, especially not with the way they welcomed her, with the way Lachesis welcomed her. She hadn’t been there for her parents or siblings, but she’d be damned if she didn’t try and be there for the rest of them – Kyrios, Inna, Lachesis, Kisla… the whole lot of them. You first. It didn’t take him long to turn her question back at her as she shrugged, staring at the water, looking for her reflection but not focusing enough to find it.

“Walkin’ ‘elps me think, sort sum stuff out too.” She responded softly as her nose twitched, briefly breaking her gaze to get a sideways glance at him before it was diverting again. “Ah remember my first time out here…” She recalled with a soft smile on her features. “Ah’d even argue tha’ it changed ma life.” She hinted again. What was pulling at his head? “Ah think ah remember askin’ you what was pullin’ at yer head… and ya told me to never grow up.” Was she reminiscing? Perhaps she did that more than she should have – Aleksei had tried to encourage her in his own brash way to be attentive, but she couldn’t help but get pulled back into memories, both good and bad. "Ah spent over ah year runnin' from ma own shadow... sometimes when I stay in th'territory fer too long, it gets a lil' suffocatin'." She just hoped he wouldn't take that the wrong way - she loved her home, and she had no intentions of leaving unless they wanted her to. "Sometimes ah just need ta stretch ma legs."

(This post was last modified: Feb 07, 2017, 02:39 AM by Lilya.)

<3 @Lilya ITS KINDA HELPING
LOVELOVLEOVE <3

It did not take long for his blue-eyed friend to answer, words rolling off her tongue with ease. The ghost liked that she was able to confide in him now, for she had been so guarded when they had first met. And for several months after she joined the river wolves. Which had been understandable—he was a stranger to her and he did not expect her to open up so quickly. Especially since she had her own demons to deal with first. He had been patient, mostly because he did not want to pry. What was going on in her head was none of his business, unless she wanted it to be.

A sharp smile crashed onto his pale male as she recalled their first meeting, his chartreuse gaze softening as she spoke. “Ah’d even argue tha’ it changed ma life.” His heart thumped, unexpectedly, at her comment. He was grateful she had chosen Hearthwood to call home after their encounter at the lake all those months ago. “I stand by what I said,” he responded quickly, his canines flashing white in the winter sunlight. Sometimes he missed the naivety of his youth—life seemed so much simpler back then, when he wasn’t the leader of a pack and there weren’t potential threats to deal with. His shoulders slouched at the thought. “I often feel the same way.” It was why he was always moving; always patrolling. Otherwise he grew restless and his head swelled with unwanted thoughts. The fresh air helped to clear his mind and ward away his own personal demons. Seeking out herbs was always a good distraction, as well, for it forced him to be focused on anything but himself.

“Growing up was a mistake,” he snorted in amusement as his lips twisted into a crooked grin. “I was not cut out for responsibilities.” His tail twitched at the comment but he remained still, his pear-coloured gaze studying the way the sky shifted from night to day.

stick with those who stick with you

It was still difficult for the woman to talk about her experiences – the ones that consumed her nights and destroyed her faith like smoke rising from a chimney. It horrified her still, made her afraid of her paws, and she swore she’d never forget the stench of wolf blood… it was haunting, and it very much suffocated her within the tree line that she called home. Still, even that couldn’t keep the smile from her features, pushing it down and suppressing it like she did so well. “Ah fig’re yer right.” She agreed with him. She wished she hadn’t had to grow up so quickly… she missed the laid back attitude she had before they got pulled into the war, trained at such a young age.

Her tail wagged softly behind her. It was oddly peaceful. “Ah never thought Ah’d feel comf’erable some place… Ah wanna thank you fer that.” Yes, despite what everyone might think about her jumpy and skittish nature, she was comfortable, and relatively relaxed… otherwise she likely would have been gone already. Part of her was afraid of the River slipping out from under her paws with all of the issues they’d had over the past year, but she tried to keep herself from thinking like that.

“It’s one of those mistakes ya can’t take back… Ah’ve tried.” She joked as her head lowered a little. “Ya bear it well, tho… coulda fooled me.” This time, she looked right at him, wondering how he'd take the compliment... if he'd take it at all.

The ghost had always been grateful to both Maksim and Anastasia. The fallen king had taken in Lachesis when he had been nothing but a skittish mess, still learning how to adapt to the world outside the reserve. He could have only taken Ana, but he had welcomed XIX into Darkwater Rapids with open paws. His acceptance into the pack had changed his life for the better, for he would not be where he was now without the Rapids—even though they were struck by a flood soon after he and his blue-eyed dove joined. And Anastasia… she had done so much for him. It pained him to think that he would never see her again; that he would never be able to thank her. He blinked, sharply, at the thought. XIX liked to think she would return, one day, but he was never too hopeful. He had a history of being let down.

It was strange for someone to be thanking him when he was typically the one being thankful to those around him. He was taken aback by her words, his brows furrowing together as he studied her calm expression. “You’re, uh, welcome,” he started, lamely, his chartreuse gaze quickly falling away from her blue eyed. “S’all Maksim though. Without him I wouldn’t be here. He built Hearthwood. I’m just makin’ sure it doesn’t fall apart,” he added with a soft shrug, his features falling slightly at his words. They remained… steady. Neither growing or shrinking. But, what truly worried him, was that puppies did not appear to be on the forecast for the river wolves. He could not tell if it was a bad or a good omen.

A faint smile managed to work its way onto his pale features, his ears twitching as she spoke. While the Stark still wished he possessed his former youthful innocence, he was also grateful for its absence. As a youth Lachesis had been nothing but a mess; his words stumbling into each other and his limbs trembling at every encounter he had with another wolf. His confidence had grown as he aged and, for that, he was thankful. The healer shrugged at her compliment, his lips curling into a smile as he met her blue gaze. “It’s all a façade, I’m sorry to disappoint Val,” he chirped in response,  his words paired with a sharp wink. “One day I’ll know what I’m doing.”

stick with those who stick with you

Lilya wasn’t good with the whole worrying thing – sometimes she worried about all of the wrong things. Her worries surrounded herself, and she was selfish in that regard, thinking that she was the problem. It was hard not to think that, when all she could see was proof that it was the case. Still, she buried it, because she’d been entrusted with a job and she was going to do it. She’d push everything aside and do what was asked of her, to a certain limit. She wouldn’t run into a war, but that was about it…

He insisted that none of it was him, too modest if you had asked her as she shook her head. “Not all ah it is, Lach.” She reminded him with a comfortable smile on her features, though it wasn’t very big. “He’s been gone fer almost two seasons now… it’s been you holdin’ it tagether.” She’d never met Maksim, never had that honor because she’d joined shortly after his passing, but from what she could see, Lachesis was the glue keeping everything together, even with Kjors and Karina’s leave with Bennet, even with Kisla’s extended journey to see her family, and the grieving process she was going through. He didn’t give himself enough credit.

A façade? Well, that was no way to live, now was it. Still, her soft smile grew just a little at the nickname she hadn’t heard from many wolves, and none recently. Val. “Ah reckon ya already know whatcher doin’, Lach… ya just don’t realize it because it’s sec’nd nature fer ya.” He didn’t have to believe it, but she saw it. “But what do ah know? M’just a lil’ crazy, really.” Perhaps that was a joke, or perhaps she meant it, but either way, it was out there.