Hearthwood River A Place Called Home

@Aytigin  

It had only been a couple of days since she’d been back from her trip to Turtleback lake and in those few days she'd been gone she'd outgrown her den.  With Lorcan still not around it seemed it was up to her to find herself a new place that she could rest her paws at night and possibly birth her children.  She was left at a loss though since she had thought Lorcan would be there for the birth of their children she wanted the den to be big enough for them and the pups.  He had promised but now the Ebony Baranski just didn't know what was to happen. She knew of some places that might work that were still in the territory but it was clear she wouldn't be digging out her own den.

She'd woken early rising from the place where she'd stayed next to the river the previous night to begin her search.  If course she couldn’t get started without having something on her stomach so she needed to make a stop by the cache.

Once she had secured her breakfast, a nice plump pheasant she took it a few feet from the cache.  There she settled under one of the nearby trees that had yet to regain its leaves before she began to eat. Inna started by pulling the feathers off until she could get at the skin and meat underneath.

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The massive man was still quite proud of himself over the fish he'd gotten for Lilya the day prior, feeling as though he had begun to contribute, in some way, to this new pack of his. But there was still more to do, and while the dark wolf had taken most of the night to sleep, he was up again in the morning, searching for something to do. He'd initially planned on helping out @Kisla, who didn't seem to have a mate around to help with her puppies, but fate had other plans.

He'd stopped by a cache to get his own breakfast - he'd selected a squirrel - when he caught scent of the night-colored girl he'd met at the border. He hadn't really thought much into helping her out, since that other man - Lorcan - seemed to be over-interested in her, and Aytigin hadn't wanted to cause any problems.

But @Inna smelled... off. Over the scent of pregnancy and the River and pheasant, he could pick up something else - she was troubled, in some way. Which, of course, wouldn't do. It wasn't good for pregnant mothers to be in distress, and especially those with their first litter. The girl was too young for this to be anything except her first litter, and while she seemed pretty healthy and emotionally stable the first time Aytigin had seen her, things had very clearly changed since his joining.

The mocha-colored man padded over to the tree she was laying under, plopping himself down on his stomach a few feet in front of her and placing his squirrel between his own forepaws. "Morning!" he greeted, tail wagging over the forest floor behind him. "How are you today, Miss Inna?" he went on, his golden-hazel eyes meeting her orange.

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

So many things felt uncertain for Inna that she wasn't sure what was going to happen in the future. She wanted for her life to go back to the way it was, she wanted her father there so that she could bury her face in his fur and so he could see his grandchildren. She wanted to hear her mother's soothing voice comforting her and helping her through this time in her life. Most of all she wanted to curl up with her parents and forget that she had been hurt but Aleksei and Lorcan and now she felt even more alone.

What she had forgotten, she blamed it on her pregnancy, was that she was strong and that she could do this. She could raise her children on her own if she had to though she didn't want to. Inna had never stopped wanting Lorcan to be in their children's lives. Like she was experiencing motherhood for the first time she wanted him to have the opportunity to experience fatherhood. To be there from day one but she knew she couldn't force him and she wouldn't, she hadn't gone to Whitestone to force him to do anything and had left it all up to him. If he'd now changed his mind then she felt she had to let him, it wasn't fair to him to make him do something he wasn't ready for.

As she dug into her pheasant she considered the places she knew of to look for her next den. Inna had also spent some time thinking about how she would make it more of a home for her and her children. Until she felt that everything was back to normal with her family she still felt it best she keep her distance. Inna didn't like the idea of being a constant reminder of what she'd done wrong. It wasn't fair to them to wake up to her mistakes everyday nor to have to end their day with it either. It was her cross to bear and she would do that with her head held high, no one needed to know what she was going through in her head.

She had been eating her bird absent-mindedly lost in her thoughts so didn't immediately notice that she had company. It wasn't until he had taken up a place right in front of her that she noticed him. Aytigin had joined her with his own breakfast, she hadn't been expecting this considering she often felt as though she were being avoided. “Good morning Ayti,” she said plastering the smile that never quite reached her eyes across her maw. “I'm doing good, just feeling the last vestiges of the cold I'm getting over. Nothing to worry about,” she told him cheerfully, “How are you? Settling in okay?” She asked with genuine curiosity.

(This post was last modified: Apr 23, 2017, 12:38 AM by Inna.)

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The girl didn't realize he was there until he was quite literally sitting at her feet, but that was okay, as she didn't seem too particularly startled by his presence. He took a bite or two of his own squirrel, still meeting her eyes to show his interest in the conversation as she replied. His brows knitted just a bit in slight concern when he realized her smile was absolutely fake, and tilted his head as he swallowed his bite of prey. He licked his chops before responding a small smile.

"I'm doing well, and I think I'm settling in okay. I actually managed to get Lilya something to eat yesterday," he informed her, his smile dropping a little as he went on. "I didn't know you were sick. That's not good for you or your puppies." His nose angled downward, directed at her plump stomach. "Can I get you something, or does that guy - uh, Lorcan? - have you covered?"

He pretty much knew the answer to that already. The scent of the tawny male was faint on her fur - he hadn't been close to her for a good while, at the very least, and that flared a bit of anger in the dark man's chest. It didn't show on his face, however, as he leaned forward and jested with a sneaky smirk, "Speaking of, is he gonna bite my ears off for speaking to you? Not that I'd blame him for bein' possessive or anything. You are quite the beautiful little lady." He dropped her a playful wink at the end of his sentence.

His tone grew a bit more serious at his next statement. "I mean it, though, Inna. Do you need anything? Because I'd be happy to help you," he offered, his hazel eyes soft and worried. "Hell, I'll even be here if you just need a friend. But if you want a specific kind of food, or if you feel sick, or whatever, I can try and get you what you need." And he meant it, too. He'd been around a few pregnant ladies in his life, and he admired the struggles of the expectant mothers. They went through hell, and the deserved all the help they could get.

The ebony Baranski was torn between being surprised that Aytigin had come for a visit and not being surprised at all. She'd immediately liked him at the border and he hadn't yet disappointed her. Inna welcomed his company while she enjoyed her breakfast and it seemed he had brought himself something to eat as well. She'd just finished the bite she'd taken before inquiring as to how he was settling in, trying to change the topic of conversation from herself. That didn't seem to work however, maybe it wasn't so bad of she talked to the dark coated man.

A smile crossed her maw which was genuine as he spoke of how he was settling in, “I'm glad to hear that you're doing well, I'm sure in a few days you will be all settled in. Hearthwood it a great place to live. I'm sure Lilya appreciated the food you brought her, I expect she's just as hungry as I seemed to be,” she said with a small laugh. Ayti had honed in on the fact she had been sick, “I know but it wasn't anything too serious. I've been resting and drinking lots of water to help get rid of it. I don't know what you could get, Lorcan…” she trailed off and shook her head. Inna didn't really knowing what she could say about the tawny healer.

The Baranski took another bite of her pheasant as her breakfast companion spoke about what Lorcan might do to him if he caught them speaking. Inna swallowed her bite, “Thank you,” she said with a smile, “It's really nice to hear that,” when she didn't always feel so pretty. She then set the man with a serious expressions, “As for Lorcan you don't have anything to worry about, he doesn't have any claim on me no matter how possessive he might be.” Inna wasn't going to let Lorcan keep her from being friends with her new packmate. He was still in love with Piety, she knew from his reaction to her words when they'd had their argument. She didn't know if he would ever be over his former pack mate so Inna didn't see any reason why she couldn't be friends with the man in front of her.

She listened with a small smile across her features as he offered to do anything she wanted for her. It was really nice of him to offer when he'd only just met her and she saw the chance at having a friendship with him. Lorcan had had gone off to do who knew what so she didn't see any reason why she couldn't have a little help so that she wouldn't have to be alone so much.

“I don't really need anything specific right now,” she told him, “But... Well the den I have been staying in has gotten rather small and with my children growing larger everyday I need something a little bigger. I wouldn't mind some company while I looked for a bigger place if you would be willing to do that?” She wasn't sure he would say yes and she didn't expect him to help but having someone to talk to would be nice to have.

(This post was last modified: Apr 23, 2017, 02:11 PM by Inna.)

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Inna was an incredibly nice wolf, Aytigin had come to find. Her concern for his wellfare was obvious, even though it was clear that she was the one suffering - not him. In fact, he had absolutely nothing to complain about; his life was pretty damn great at the moment. He'd found a bit of healthy stability, and he loved it.

"Hearthwood is a great place to live. I've been enjoying being here so far," he replied, tail thumping lightly on the ground behind him before stilling again. "But you should probably have been doing more than just drinking water and resting," he chastised lightly, hazel eyes concerned. "You probably could've told Lachesis or something."

He liked seeing her smile when he told her she was pretty. This was more along the lines of what he was hoping when he offered compliments to others. Not the harshness of Askan or the repulse of Lorcan. "It's true, though. You are an exceptionally beautiful girl, and I'm sure Lorcan thinks so, too," he tried to reassure, understanding that he probably wasn't the wolf she particularly wanted to hear it from. Though... it was a bit of a relief to know that the tawny wolf had no real claim on her.

The man took another few bites of his squirrel, finishing up his breakfast as she told him what he might be able to do to help her. His brows furrowed again as she spoke, and he couldn't help but wonder why Lorcan wasn't helping her find a den. "I'd be honored to help you find a den," he responded, licking his lips to rid them of any blood from his meal. "You sure you don't just want me to dig you one? It'd probably be more comfortable that way," he offered with a smile.

Since Aytigin had been accepted she had worried about him fitting it after the reception that he’d received. So to hear that he was settling in pleased her but like Lachesis and her mother she'd seen many come and go staying only a few months. She hoped that wouldn't be Ayti, she liked him and wanted him to stick around for a long time. He already seemed very eager to do what he could to help out.

“I'm glad to hear that, you seem very hopeful that being in Hearthwood​ will work out for you.” It was an observation that she had made just by listening to what he'd said at the border and what he was telling her now. It gave her hoped to that everything would work out for him as well. She let her gaze fall to her paws as he told her she should have done more, gone to Lachesis. “I know but I...I didn't want to bother him, I have already caused him enough stress.” With her situation she didn't want to ask for more than she thought she deserved. “I'm doing much better now so it's okay,” she said looking up into his eyes and giving him a reassuring smile.

She couldn't deny she liked hearing him tell her how beautiful she was, it wasn't something that she heard anywhere else. It was fine that she didn't but having that chance to hear it when Ayti wanted to offer it made her feel just a little better about herself. She looked at her paws again only this time it was with a shyness as she felt the heat in her cheeks. ”Thank you Ayti you are very kind,” she said before reaching out and nudging his cheek. “I don't think that he has,” ‘because he's been to wrapped up in Piety’ but she kept that part to herself. There wasn't a point in bringing that up.P>

Though Inna would rather have Lorcan with her to find a new den he had made his choice to not be there. She could have turned Ayti down at his offer but she knew she couldn't do it all by herself and this man so full of compliments seemed to really want to help her. “Thank you, I really appreciate that.” He asked about digging one saying it might be more comfortable, she shook her head. “I think it's best if I just find one. Hearthwood has plenty of options so one of them might be really comfortable. I had one in mind I was going to look at first,” she said just before finishing her pheasant and cleaning herself up. “It's this way” she said standing, a bump was given to his shoulder before she moved off toward the den.

(This post was last modified: Apr 23, 2017, 08:11 PM by Inna.)

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Holy crap Inna is so cute

"I'm definitely hopeful," Aytigin told her with a soft smile. "I've never been part of a pack before; I think I could do well here. That is, if the guys give me a chance. I'm not as bad as I seem." He chuckled lightly, a bit of concern crossing his gaze as he worried, just for a moment, that none of the males in the pack would accept him. Not for who he genuinely was, anyway.

A smile curled at the corners of his lips when she mentioned not wanting to bother Lachesis. "Lach's a good guy, Inna. I'm sure he'd be more than willin' to help a young lady with pups out; especially if she was part of his pack. I don't know him very well, but I can tell he's not going to care how many times you bother him, if you need his help." He snorted then, his lip curling on the side. "It's not like the father of your children is being particularly useful." Aytigin wasn't sure what kind of man could get a girl pregnant and then leave her to fend for herself. It was disgusting.

She thanked him for the compliment, and nudged his cheek with her nose. His dark brows rose and he gave her a grin. "Well, geez, I oughta compliment you more often," he said in return, dropping her a quick wink. Then, she denied that Lorcan thought her beautiful, and his expression faltered, but only for a split second, before he was smiling again. "You can do better, anyway. And hey, at least you'll always know I think you're gorgeous, so there's that!" he laughed.

The large man got to his paws after her, rather grateful that she didn't seem to want him to dig out a den, as his shoulders were hurting from how much he'd been working them lately. He should probably consider slowing down a bit, but he wanted to show that he could work for the pack. "I'm happy to accompany you, at least," he told her, reciprocating her bump to his shoulder by brushing his flank lightly across hers. "It'll probably be far less boring with a friend around."

Thank you:)

“Hopeful is good. Keep in mind loyalty and hard work is what makes it here.” It was merely a little tip that she thought he might find useful. She miled as he spoke of doing well in Hearthwood, “I think you will too. I feel that you really want to make this work.” As he spoke of the males in the pack she frowned, “I think they just don't understand but if you work as hard as they do then I don't think they should have any reason to not accept you.” It was only her opinion of course but she did hope there was some truth to it for his sake. She didn't want him to lose hope and eventually leave.

Inna nodded as Aytigin spoke of Lachesis and how he would've helped her if she'd gone to him. It was clear that he didn't know about her situation nor why she might not want to bother Lachesis. “He is a good guy and I'm sure he would be more than happy to help me any other time but right now I'm just not sure.” Part of her feet that no matter how upset he might be with her if she had gone to him he would have been more than happy to help. There was that little voice in her head that didn't agree, that told her she didn't deserve the healers help because of what she'd done. Lorcan or not in that moment the father of her children wasn't being very useful, “No, he’s not but I never expected any help either.” So she wasn't sure that the father of her pups could really be expected to help.

Her nudge was well received which pleased her and she laughed a little as he said he should compliment her more often. “I can't say that I wouldn't like to hear it more often.” What girl wouldn't want to hear how beautiful they were on a regular basis. The heat rose in her cheeks as she looked at her paws when he said she was gorgeous, “Thank you! Lately I haven't been feeling that I am,” she said shyly. If Lorcan had noticed he'd never said anything but it didn't matter in Inna’s opinion because he was still caught up with Piety. “There is that,” she agreed, “What do I need Lorcan to tell me for when I have you to remind me everyday how pretty I am?” A small.part.of her wished it was Lorcan doing the reminding but she didn't see that happening any time soon.

He wanted to help her with something but the only thing she had planned was to find a den she could fit in with her pups and Lorcan if ever came back. She wasn't sure he would want.to fo seen hunting with her but it didn't hurt to ask so she did. “Great! There is a den that I remember that might work,” she informed. It could be the first and last place she just didn't know until she saw it again. Inna started off in the direction she knew it to be. “It will be more fun having a friend along than to have to do it myself.” Her bump was returned by.him brushing his flank against her which brought out another smile to her maw. Inna was glad to have Aytigin along since her and Lorcan would probably end up in some kind of argument.

(This post was last modified: Apr 25, 2017, 08:15 AM by Inna.)

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