Hot Springs Walk, Don't Run

for @Eidolon


It was time — past time, really — for him to stop sulking. It wasn't like him to avoid issues like this, but it was probably more unlike him to even have something so silly like this happen to him. He had briefly considered leaving Relic Lore, but he knew he could fix this. So after he mulled over it and stayed a short time in the north, Larkspur turned around and headed back south. The trip back was much nicer than the trip up. His wrist had healed and the weather was brighter and considerably less wet. He wasn't in much better spirits, but Larkspur was rarely in good spirits to begin with. Just some days he was tolerable and some days he was not.

He had found the girl and the small, awkward-looking pup after a few days. Larkspur had started where the two had first left and meandered up the mountain and towards one of the nearby packs. It had only been his rotten luck that the girl was a part of a pack, which would only make his job a little bit more difficult. Knowing that sooner or later the girl would leave the safety of her pack — pups were known for wandering off, anyways — Larkspur patiently waited. The warmth of the hot springs was welcoming, but not soothing enough to let him relax. He was ready to go home and sleep in the comfort of his log, he was ready to be surrounded by wolves he was at least familiar with.

He sighed and plopped down in the warm dirt, chin resting on his paws.

Should I play Neel, so you don't have to post from two accounts? Bc he's pretty much still a pupa at the moment.

Fallen Tree Cove was a wonderful place with wonderful wolves, even though Eido had not fit in well at first. She still didn't know if she would find her footing in the pack after Neel was big enough for her to leave alone for extended periods of time. But, for now, it was certainly perfect. She was certain she wouldn't leave again - not even after Neel had grown up big and strong to become a true, functioning member of the pack as well.

Neel was getting big - coming up on his three week mark - and the boy was adventurous and strong. With help from the pack, Eido had been able to produce plenty of milk for the child, as well as keep enough nutrients for herself. She wasn't as weak and feeble as she'd been after she'd given birth. She'd decided to take Neel on his first outing that day, and had the strength enough to tote the baby all the way to the Hot Springs to play.

She'd just set foot on warm ground when she caught a familiar scent and placed Neel on the ground between her paws, perking her ears and glancing around. It didn't take long to spot the pale pelt of the wolf she'd mated with to produce their child. The young mother harbored no anger toward the man, and instead started to wag her tail and offered him a smile. "Reed!" she greeted warmly, nudging Neel gently and stepping over him to get between him and his father. She knew nothing about Reed - not really - and though she didn't think he was a bad man, she'd rather not have Neel be between herself and a stranger.

"What brings you here?" Innocently, she wondered if perhaps he wanted to join Fallen Tree Cove to be a part of their son's life.

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

Yeah just have him do lil puppy stuff, wasn't planning on posting on his account. I might take the reins here and there or w/e haha

It was a blessing, perhaps, that the girl had showed up here. He watched her approach and soon enough the girl recognized him. The man's heart sank when she called him by his father's name, that sour taste in his mouth almost giving him away. He had forgotten that he hadn't told Eido his real name. Lark swallowed and stood, only catching a glimpse of his son before the girl blocked it from his view. He offered @Eidolon a smile, his tail giving a swish or two in greeting. He stood up a bit taller and squared his shoulders, but didn't intend to seem intimidating at all.

When asked what brought him here, he almost laughed. Larkspur bit his tongue instead and considered his words. "I came looking for you," he simply said. "Wanted to make sure you were alright," he tried to get a good look at the boy, who peeked at him from behind his mother. He didn't look like much now, just pale tans and creams, and he did not have the eyes that Ritters did, or the dark marking across his back. But he was young and the boy would grow into it.

Time to get to it. Larkspur took a careful step forward, pausing to search Eidolon's eyes for the answer. "Is he mine? Are there any others?"

Cool beans. I'm so hyped/terrified for this thread xD

Eidolon was not surprised. Reed hadn't been cruel the last time they'd met, so she felt no need to shy away when he stood. To be honest, with Neel to protect, she didn't think she could be afraid of much. Her desire to defend her pup was much stronger than any desire she'd ever had to preserve herself. Instincts were a blessing and, as she would come to find in the next few moments, a curse.

Apparently, he'd come to see her. A little late, but not unwelcomed. Perhaps he'd want to join the Cove, if she could convince him. "We're fine," she replied, as she normally did nowadays, referring to herself and Neel both. Because, of course, her wellbeing depended entirely on the wellbeing of her child now. If Neel was fine, Eido was fine. That was simply the way of the world. "It's nice of you to come see us."

The young woman frowned when the man took a step forward, his deep orange eyes searching her lighter. "Um, yes, he's yours," she replied, glancing back at Neel and waving her tail just a bit to hopefully help calm the little pup. She could imagine he was nervous, meeting a brand new wolf and all. She hadn't let many others near him since his birth. "Well, mine, actually." She found that she didn't quite like the thought of the pup belonging to anyone but herself. "Just him." She leaned back to lick the pup's head gently, nuzzling his little face. He was enough on his own.

His mask almost slipped as the girl corrected him. Hers. Larkspur should have laughed at the girl, who above all was a nobody. It was just the one boy, which was a little bit of a relief. "Let me say hello, at least," he was still friendly, pretending to take her remark in stride. Larkspur lowered himself, his gaze turning to the small boy. He offered a welcoming smile, which was something else that was very unlike Larkspur. "Hey," he cooed to him, gently coaxing the boy away from his mother for a moment.

For a brief moment Larkspur enjoyed what was probably going to be one of the only, if not the only, tender moment that he'd have with his son. He planted a few soft kisses on the boy's head, which after Neel deemed the man not a threat, were returned on Lark's scarred maw. His heart ached with bittersweet nostalgia, and then his stomach twisted as he glanced up at the girl.

Larkspur stood, placing a paw protectively in front of the boy. "Well, actually," he didn't have to be kind anymore. "He's mine. And he's coming with me," he stared @Eidolon down and dared her to challenge him. 

Oh, hell no. That was not gonna fly. What Eido had mistakenly believed, being her naïve self, to be a sweet meeting between a son and his father had taken a dangerous turn. She was absolutely not about to just sit back and let it happen. As soon as he placed a paw between her and Neel, the fur along her spine rose and she released a feral growl that she hadn't been aware she was capable of producing. Orange eyes narrowed at his claim to the child, and she took a step forward, lips curling back in an ugly snarl.

"Fuck you," she rumbled deeply, hackles raising as she approached the two of them. While she was much healthier now than when she'd first rejoined Fallen Tree Cove, there was still absolutely no hope of her taking on the older, larger, stronger man and winning. But at the moment, she didn't have much of a choice. She wasn't even thinking clearly enough past the fury of someone is trying to take my baby away from me. "He's mine."

It was simply not acceptable.

Normally, the pale-furred girl would've thought things through; came up with the idea to go back to the Cove and get help tracking the man down. But her instincts were far too strong at the moment, and before she could even begin to attempt at reason, her paws were moving of their own accord. She lunged at the man, not intending to bite, but more in a show of aggression - to try and get him to back away long enough to get Neel somewhere safer.

The sweet, doe-eyed girl was suddenly gone and replaced by an angry, frightful mother. He would have expected no less from the woman, but her actions couldn't have been more perfect. He wanted her to get angry, and wanted her to try and fight him. His heart leaped into his throat as the woman lunged at him, and for a second he doubted himself.

Would he really do this? Again? The girl was in his way, yes, but after months was murder the best answer? They could have talked it over, or possibly Larkspur could have seen that the girl was in a pack and his son was happy and well-fed and been on his way. He could have returned to Quaking Vale and told Sahalie all of this and life could continue, just like he'd wanted.

@Eidolon was close now, her sudden aggression scaring their child.

Their child. The thought seemed to echo in his mind. Guilt and regret coursed through the pale man, which was quickly doused by anger. Larkspur sprung into life, a fury of teeth and snarls. His jaws parted and he quickly pushed off of the ground, aiming to grab the girl by the scruff and get her on the ground.

Behind him, the boy cried out for his mother, and this only fueled Larkspur's fire.

As a wolf who had never fought anyone or anything in her entire life, Eido had not thought this through at all. Initially, when she'd seen him waiting by the springs, she'd thought he wanted to talk things through - not kidnap their child. She hadn't expected the aggression from herself, either, and clearly neither had Neel. She felt a bit bad for scaring the pup, somewhere in the back of her mind, but there were far more important things to focus on at the moment.

It was easy for the larger wolf to take her by the scruff and Eido found herself slamming to the hard-packed ground below. If it had just been her, she probably would've given up at that moment, but since Neel was there, there was no way she could just cow down and let him be taken. Instead, she attempted to twist and fasten her teeth around one of his forelegs, but was unable to move that far. Reed was stronger, more experienced, and Eido had never had to fight before.

"Why are you doing this?" she panted instead, orange eyes wide as she sought out his eyes from her position on the ground. She was still attempting to squirm, her body tense and trembling. Half from rage - because how dare he? - and half fear - because what was she going to do without Neel? Would he kill him?

That thought redoubled her efforts to try and escape his hold, twisting and scrabbling on the ground.

There wasn't much fight in her and Larkspur was both disappointed and relieved. He got @Eidolon on the ground pretty easily, firmly keeping her trembling, twisting form on the ground. He awkwardly shifted around, trying to avoid getting any serious injuries from the girl. Thankfully he seemed to have a good enough of a grip on her to avoid it, and for a moment he had time to think over his next plan of action.

Then the girl spoke. For some reason, everything made more sense in Larkspur's head. More than when he tried to explain things, or when he tried to think of the right words. He didn't respond to the girl, but was caught up by his own thoughts that she managed to break free from his grip. He ground his teeth together as he stood his ground, firmly between Neel and herself. Larkspur's orange eyes narrowed at her. He was fixing a mistake, and if this girl — a girl that meant nothing in the grand scheme of things — was in the way, he felt nothing wrong with getting her out of the picture. The boy continued to cry, but Larkspur's snarls drowned out the noise.

The man lunged, this time aiming for her throat.