Oak Tree Bend Building New Bridges

For @Arnaq!

Weather: 47 F/ 8 C, Light rain

The sun had largely been hidden by clouds in the days leading up to and proceeding from the birth of his children. Rain had been common, and more than once Serach had paced anxiously back and forth in front of Aponi's birthing den replaying the haunted memory of Spieden's den flooding last year. He had yet to fully meet them - not that there was currently much to meet - but those little brown bundles and the fiery woman who had brought them into this world meant more to him than he had ever imagined was possible. But as much as Serach wanted, and felt as though he needed, to stay at their sides around the clock, his instinct would not allow him to do that. He had to stay healthy and at full strength if he wanted to be able to protect them. It would do him no good to be as exhausted as Aponi surely was.

So he whispered his love to Aponi and their children and left his post. Although it was only temporary, every step screamed at him for going in the wrong direction, but he pushed on ahead anyway. Serach Donata was nothing if not stubborn, although he would soon learn that his stubborn streak had nothing on the newest members of their little family. He reassured himself by repeating that he was not going far - only to the creek to get a drink of water before he returned back to his post. That helped, but only a little.

Ignoring the raindrops slowly dripping off the edge of his muzzle, Serach was grateful to see the familiar sight of the creek that he had grown up next to. As he lowered his head to drink, he couldn't help but smile to himself as he thought of the future and all the things it was now his turn to teach. He was still going back and forth with the prospect being thrilling and terrifying, but for now he was eagerly looking forward to the day when he could bring his young ones to drink here too.

Arnaq was confused on what her role was right now, she didn't know where she was needed or what she should do. She did manage to catch a hare after several attempts of slipping in the mud. She took the hare and dropped it near the den as a gift for the new mother. She looked around with her yellow orbs heard the soft noises of the pups and watched as the father, Serach paced. She wasn't sure what his thoughts or feelings were but he seemed deep in thought. 

She watched him as he poked his head just inside the den and wondered why the mother acted the way she did. She had no personal experience on the matter herself so it was all new to the yearling. Arnaq sat watching as the other members seemed to know as well what was going on, but unlike her it seemed they knew what to expect with each passing moment. 

As she sat there trying to clean her coat from the mud caked on to her from her failed attempts she only hoped she could get it coruscant once more. As she cleaned herself she watched as the Alpha male moved off, she followed him with her orbs as he headed to the stream of water not to far off. She wondered if there was something she could do but she was hesitant to anger anyone with emotions seemingly high over the last few days. 

Slowly standing to her feet once again she walked on after him, keeping her tail down as she came closer towards him. She watched him lower his head down to quench a thirst and she waited. She didn't want to be rude and interrupt him as he seemed lost in his own thoughts. When he finished drinking the fresh water that she herself came to enjoy as well she cleared her throat to get his attention. Still keeping a respectful distance from him.

 "Serach? Sir?" She seemed to almost whisper the words. "Is there anything I can do to help?" She still was unsure where her skills were best at and without direction she seemed lost at her young age. Lowering herself as she spoke as if almost in a bow, she knew she was the lowest member in the pack so she didn't want to come off disrespectful by any means. The she-wolf wouldn't allow such a thing from her and she was the last wolf that Arnaq wanted to cross after allowing her to join their family. 

(This post was last modified: May 04, 2017, 04:46 PM by Arnaq.)

For just a brief moment, Serach felt relaxed. His brain had moved on to thinking about how he was going to parent his new offspring and that excited him so much that a stupid smile had slowly appeared on his mug. But he was happy - moreso than he could have ever anticipated. The panic would set in later, no doubt, when his duties in parenting became a reality, but for now he was free to dream and be grateful for an opportunity he never would have had without Aponi. All the pain and suffering of the winter had been necessary for this, and standing alongside the water's edge with the cries and whimpers of his daughters and son seared into his brain, he could confidently say it was worth it. 

Not just for him either, he realized, pulled from his reveries by the sound of approaching pawsteps and then the clearing of a throat. Breaking his gaze to nowhere, he turned his head to look at the newest member of the Bend. At first introduction, she seemed sweet in a way that reminded him very much of Leotie. Her tone was tentative too, and he remembered Leotie had acted similarly when she had first joined. While Aponi might have been more temperamental these days, Serach was not; at least not yet.

So he greeted her with the same smile that had found its way to his lips and with a friendly wag of the tail. "'Lo Arnaq!" Closing the distance between them, he nudged the base of her left ear in a silent greeting before stepping back. "You've been doing great so far," he reassured her in response to her question. "Don't think we haven't noticed the gifts of food you've brought for Aponi and the cubs. I appreciate it more than you know, and Aponi even moreso no doubt." Every little bit counted these days, and Serach was not one to hold back praise from his pack mates.

"Why don't we walk for a bit? I've been standing in one place for so long I think it would be good for me to stretch my legs," he invited, turning over his shoulder to head upstream along the creek's bank. "Is there anything I can do to help you? I know this must be difficult: joining a new pack and immediately having things turned on their heads because of new cubs."

Arnaq was relieved when Serach started wagging his tail and when he made physical contact the young wolf was ecstatic. She enjoyed the physical touch of another wolf. The connection it brought about, rebounding and re-scenting each other. She rubbed her head back in response to his touch. Almost like her father use to do when she was but a pup. Her tail began to wag profusely as he stepped back and began to speak with her. 

When he complimented her, her ears perked and she was glad they took notice and enjoyed what she did manage to bring to them. It was the least she could do after being given a home. "You're welcome." She beamed with obvious evidence that she enjoyed the praise. "A walk would be nice yes." She followed him as they began to walk.

"Um, I don't know to be honest. I have never dealt with new pups before, this will be my first year. Congratulations by the way." She smiled at him her paws melting into the mushy mud as they moved. "I just don't know what to do to be honest. I am trying to find things to keep me busy. I hunt smaller prey around the territory hoping that helps." She wasn't sure what else to say as they moved through the trees. 

"Is this your first time being a dad?" She wasn't sure has she hadn't met any of last years offspring. It could be a sore subject though if they were lost. She knows as a youngster how hard is to talk about loosing loved ones, she couldn't begin to comprehend if they were your own pups tho. 

(This post was last modified: May 10, 2017, 08:53 PM by Arnaq.)

She was sweet, Serach determined quickly as Arnaq rubbed her head against his own in greeting. The smile on her face and the motion in her tail was not lost on him either as he stepped back to give her some space, and that made him happy. He had clearly been preoccupied since the cubs had arrived, and it had started to show in his disconnect from the rest of his pack mates, so it made him feel good that it seemed that the newest member at least did not hold that against him. His praise landing on willing ears, and his own smile broadened as she thanked him and agreed to walk with him.

Her pleasantness included a willingness to answer his questions. There was no hesitation in her voice as she responded, and he was grateful for both her congratulations and her candor that she wasn't quite sure what do do. Serach felt the same way, if was being as equally honest. "Thank you," it was his turn to thank her for her praise, although it remained to be seen if he was truly deserving of it. That would come later, when his children emerged from the den and into the world. "It absolutely helps. I know it isn't the most exciting of things to do - hunting small prey, that is - but once the pups are a little older and I'm less...concerned," he chuckled, his pale yellow eyes twinkling in mirth. "Then we can have a larger pack hunt and bring something bigger down. In the summertime these woods are filled with deer and elk, sometimes even a moose or two. Later in the summer we'll be meeting with members of Fallen Tree Cove, a pack that lives in the  mountains and our allies, to have a larger, combined hunt." He lifted a forepaw and pointed it west, towards the mountains blocked from view by the trees around them, before continuing to walk.

"It's my first time, yes," he admitted, although the wave of his tail above his back indicated that it was not a point of shame for him, even if it was "late". "Not Aponi's though. She has two daughters already. Lila, who you've met, and Kyna, who doesn't live in the Bend anymore. Lila was born last year - so she's your agemate." He paused in his step, his brows furrowing in quiet thought for a moment before looking at Arnaq once more. "I hope you and Lila will become friends. Aponi and I are going to be relying on you both once the pups are out of the den and are busy exploring. There's three of them and only two of us...so I'm afraid we're already outnumbered and will need all the help we can get." He chuckled.

"Are you new to Relic Lore, Arnaq? We're happy to have you of course, but now that I've got children of my own, I'm curious as to what made you leave at such a relatively young age." He didn't want to make her uncomfortable, but he was genuinely curious, and his own paws had never felt the itchy desire to adventure far beyond the borders of his birth.

Arnaq smiled, her maw hiding her teeth so as not to come off with any sort of aggression. She was stunned when the Alpha thanked her. She didn't understand why he would either. She was just doing what she thought she should. It was nice to hear though. She walked along the male making their way through the trees around them, listening to him speak about hunts. She saw where he pointed to and though she wasn't sure exactly sure if it was in the mountains or beyond them it was an exciting thought none the less to be apart of a pack hunt. 

That would be a trek, thought she thought. Only just making her own long journey here from leaving the tundra of her birth. She wasn't sure if she would enjoy it, but it occurred to her that it would be nice to travel with an entire pack and meet others that they called allies. "I also hope that Lila and I can become friends." She responded to him as he continued. When he asked her about her past though, she stopped in her tracks. She looked at him, sadness and guilt washing over her face. Her eyes took on a somber look as she stared at the ground suddenly. 

"I didn't exactly just up and leave at a young age." She whispered, her voice was low, filled with shame of her past transgressions. "My birth pack died, all of them because of my playful antics." A tear fell from her yellow orbs as she took in a deep breath. "I can't live on the tundra alone, so I headed south." She didn't want to bring up how they died but she wouldn't lie if he asked. She couldn't, they took her in after all. She knew at some point it would be brought up but she wasn't sure what she would say. Sighing softly Arnaq stole a glance at Serach. She didn't know how he would take the news, he had pups to think about. She didn't want to be alone again. She started to tremble with fear at the thought of them finding out her story and being ran out of the pack and it felt unnerving to say the least. 

She was a quiet listener, and a respectful one too. Serach appreciated that, although there were still moments where he caught himself and couldn't help but laugh at the idea of him giving such sage advice. It didn't feel like that long ago when he had been in her shoes, anxiously wondering what was going to happen now that there were new puppies in the pack that were going to require most of their attention. But she seemed eager to learn too, and for that he was grateful. "Nalda too. She's Aponi's niece and also your age. I think the three of you could become quite close in time," he assured her. "With Aponi and myself too. You're certainly not limited in choosing friends by age." He added, offering her another smile. It'd be a little harder with Aponi, but he would tell his mate what Arnaq was doing to help when the female leader wasn't so preoccupied with her new offspring.

Despite his best intentions, however, Serach's mouth was running faster than his brain. His seemingly innocent question had struck a cord, and in a moment he found himself a few paces ahead of her. Turning to look back at her, his cheerful expression fell and his ears flattened against his head. Her whole demeanor changed - clearly there was more to her arrival in the Lore than a case of wanderlust. Her hushed words only echoed what her body language was clearly saying. His own ears and tail drooping, the leader stood quiet for a moment before taking a few steps towards her. Perhaps it was his new found status as a father, or maybe it was just increased confidence in age, but he felt little hesitation in closing the space between them in his attempt in offering her comfort. In his mind, she was young and helpful, and everything his body cried out for him to protect her. She was trembling, and it made his heart break.

Stopping in front of Arnaq, Serach reached out with his muzzle to nuzzle the base of her ear in a silent reassurance that no matter what had happened before, she was not alone now. "I can't even imagine how painful that must have been...and still is. But I doubt that it was your fault," he told her, his voice quiet but attempting to be reassuring. "I'm so sorry that you've had to carry this burden alone, along with trying to adjust to life here in the Bend."

Arnaq watched as the Alpha male came up to her and she was so close to bolting away from him that her fear was the only thing keeping her from moving a muscle, aside from the tremors coursing through her. When he reached out and touched her ear with softness, she nearly cringed for a moment before she realized he was offering her comfort. 

She whispered again, "It was my fault, I didn't want to hunt, I didn't have to. I wandered off. They came to save me. It is my fault Serach." tears fell from her eyes as she looked down at the ground, she wasn't able to look him in the eyes. She sighed as she tried to stop the tears, it was her fault and she would live with that the rest of her days. She didn't have the nerve to say more, she couldn't find the words to even elaborate more on what she had already said. 

She had tried so hard to change her ways, to make something of herself, not just for her but for the family she lost. She still was playful but she was trying to not be so much. Sometimes her excitement would get the better of her though and she had to remember to reel herself back in. That was the problem with her. She wanted to have fun but she knew it was dangerous to do so. 

With her wanting to have fun, she decided instead to focus on the hunts, the runs she could do was all the fun she allowed herself. Life wasn't meant to be fun, she learned that the hard way. She was part of a system and she had to pull her own weight. That was what she had hoped she had changed about herself when she was finally allowed into this pack. She hoped she was doing her part. 

Arnaq was standing stock still, not entirely unlike a deer that had sensed the presence of a wolf pack closing in on it. But Serach was not coming to hunt her down, and he stayed his course and nuzzled her ear in what he hoped was a helpful form of comfort. His ears strained forward to catch her quiet whispers, and he felt his heartbreak for her. But he couldn't help but look up and back towards where his young family was waiting for him to return and his blood ran cold at the thought of losing them. In the same moment, he knew that he would do anything for them, even if it meant putting his own life on the line.

"There, there," he murmured before he pulled back so he could look at her downcast face. "I know it's difficult, if not impossible, but you have to believe me when I say it isn't your fault. And they must have loved you and cared about you very much to come after you and protect you. That's what packs are supposed to do, blood or not. I know that doesn't make the loss easier - no words can help that - but I want you to know that we are all here for you now too." He couldn't fathom what tragedy had claimed the lives of her packmates, and he wasn't sure he actually wanted to know, but now was not the time to ask. Now was the time to offer comfort and try to reassure her that no matter what losses she had suffered, she was not the only one.

"We're not strangers to loss here in the Bend," he said after a moment, dropping his own gaze to look at his paws. "We used to be one of the largest and strongest packs in Relic Lore, and now we're a mere fraction of what we used to be. Sometimes its death and other-times its absence, but it all hurts. But we all have made the conscious decision to keep moving forward, even if that means some days are sadder and harder than others. Our pack motto is actually, 'we thrive regardless'", he grinned, his smile more mirth than humor. "And sometimes all that means is hunting for new puppies or marking a tree to let the rest of the world know that this is our section of forest." And Arnaq had done her fair share of that.

Arnaq seemed to have relaxed a little as her Alpha gave her much needed comfort. She appreciated that gesture more than she could say in that moment. She took a deep breathe and steadied herself as Serach began to speak. She lifted her maw and her ears turned towards him as she spoke of the things that had happened. Not in great detail but enough that it seemed to do the job of lifting her spirits. 

"I like the motto." She replied as she heard it. "We thrive regardless." She smiled then and thought about how she had struggled yet thrived as she made her way to this pack. It was as if fate had sent her to this place because of what she needed to learn about life itself. Her mother and father must of loved her she thought suddenly, thinking back on the words he said. If they hadn't then they wouldn't of come to save her, he was right about that. 

"I hope that I am doing well enough for the pack. I know the small prey doesn't last long enough to be enough food, but I try to hunt three to four times a day on the smaller prey." She stood and shook the rain drops from her coat bits of fur flying off of her as she started to shed her winter coat. 

"I am sorry the conversation turned sour. I didn't want my past transgressions to get me kicked out of a place I have finally come to call home and felt accepted even with all my quirks." She looked at her Alpha with her big yellow eyes hoping that she didn't ruin a good walk with him. She needed to move on and let the past stay in the past and learn from those lessons. Not let it drag her down and make her freeze on spot when someone brought something up that made her think about the past.