Lavender Ethos your skin is so used to colder bones

@Laike -- lach needed to get out of HR :B backdated to May 30, before the puppy meet 'n greet (if that's not okay i can change!)
dawn | patchy rain possible, 73 ° F, 23 ° C

There was not a lot of time that the pale leader got to himself—not with a pack to lead and children to take care of. As he grew older he became more of a recluse, which was nearly impossible to maintain with his position. Day trips outside Hearthwood had been cut short and he seldom strayed outside the Kingswood. Not since he ventured west to drop off herbs for Wild Rye. Even then, he had only left the canopy of branches for good reason, not to simply stretch his legs.

His toes ached at the thought, for he missed being able to travel at his leisure. Once the little Starks were old enough he would take them on excursions to satisfy their curiosity and his wanderlust.

For now he would have to settle for the ethos. However, this visit to the meadow served dual purposes. His son, who had never experienced the warmth of the sun, was buried him. The son XIX would never take on the same adventures he had planned for the sisters. His lips curled into a frown at the thought as he strode through the stalks of lavender in order to ignite the soothing scent that wafted off them. He inhaled, deeply, his chartreuse eyes closing momentarily before he plopped down against a tree, savouring the moment before he had to return to his duties.

The sun had just begun to creep through the trees but this time it was not accompanied by blue skies. Clouds were strewn overhead as a lazy rainfall began, not heavy enough to chase him away just yet. He remained, comforted by the soothing scent of the hyssops, his son’s unmarked grave just inches away from his folded legs. Once the sun focused in the sky Lachesis would return to the river’s edge, hopefully with a warm meal between his jaws.

stick with those who stick with you

perfectly fine with me <3

LAIKE ARTEMIEVA

The chatter of a spring creature had awoken him of that morning. He didn't know if it was a squirrel or a bird or even neither of those but he supposed it didn't matter. The darn thing had woken him up and he couldn't fall back asleep. Orange eyes noticed how the sun wasn't even up yet. He supposed the sky was showing signs of it being dawn but not quite a morning. A soft sigh escaped his lips as he rose from his sleeping spot and groggily moved off into the dawn.

He needed a good walk before he continued with his day. The thought of going to see Adelayde pulled at him strongly but the children were becoming more active. Laike figured the pack likely wanted his eyes here instead of on the pretty girl his heart seemed to swoon for. He wasn't really sure what to make of his feelings for her but they were in no way bad which was a fairly good sign. A soft smile tugged at his lips as his bulky form stumbled through the thick woods.

Laike wasn't positive where his paws were taking him but it didn't seem to feel that far. Not to mention that the scent that pulled at his nose was so very calming. It almost made him want to doze off again. That was until he came around a tree and spotted the pale male resting against another tall cedar. He was aware that this was the alpha from passing but he hadn't had a proper one-on-one with him yet. The still sleepy Artemieva offered a soft woof. "I hope I'm not disrupting anything?" For he did not know what laid beneath the lavender at his paws.

art by kydnt

have you checked out my player preferences?

There is a deer that was killed by a lynx nearby. +10 Health

xcuse garbage post i am le tired

The soft drizzle did not bother him in the slightest. It was a comforting sound: the drops of water cascading through the trees, pitter pattering against the leaves. This was the moment of peace he had been desperately searching for since the children of Hearthwood arrived. Typically he dumped his worries into the lake south of the Kingswood, but not today. He was not able to stretch his legs that far just yet.

Or, he did not want to. He wasn’t sure which one it was.

The weight on his shoulders had diminished in size after his raven sidekick gave birth to her ebony daughter. It appeared that bad luck was only tied to Lachesis, for he and Lilya were the only ones to suffer this spring. While he wished that the blue-eyed sparrow could have been spared, he was thankful that the Baranski had not endured the same pain. XIX just hoped that the tragedy ended with Laddeus, for pain and loss was not uncommon for the river wolves.

He frowned at this. The pale ghost inhaled, deeply, allowing the lavender to erase his negative thoughts.

A familiar scent wafted through the grass, causing his brows to pinch together. It belonged to a wolf he did not know much about, although he knew his name and his face. His co-lead had been the one to accept the second Artemieva into Hearthwood, soon after Lorcán sought refuge along the river’s edge. The soft woof was the only thing that disrupted Lachesis, for it caused his thoughts to scatter. He gave a soft shake of his head, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Not at all,” he started with an inviting wag of his tail. “What brings you to the Ethos?” Was he the type of wolf to seek solitude, also? 

stick with those who stick with you

Laike was relieved to see the smile that tugged on the older male's face. It was a reassurance along with the words that followed next. He would have left if asked of him, but it wasn't. He was allowed to bask in the calming silence of this place. With company.

The large male took a spot next to a tree not too far from the pale alpha. Truthfully we would have been content to sit in the silence of the dawn. His side leaning against the tall cedar for support to keep his still tired body from falling over. His ears leaned slightly to catch his superior's question. "I just followed my paws. Woke up a bit too early and thought the stroll could help me jump start my morning." A soft smile tugged at his usually hard features. "Seemed my paws had other ideas. It's rather calm here. Beautiful too if I dare say so." He was not a man to usually admire the beauty in things but he'd be a fool to deny the charm this place had. Everything from the purple flowers creeping against his legs to the tall tree he leaned against and its many other trees. He had to wonder why he hadn't stumbled upon this place before. It wasn't all that far from home either. He was willing to bet Adelayde would love this place.

The smile lingered on his face as he thought about the tall girl. Her mismatched gaze and soft fur. The way she admired everything he couldn't. How she seemed to have all of the emotions he lacked. He could only hope and pray that she thought about him the way he found himself thinking about her.

His mind slowly crept back to reality as his gaze moved from the ground to his ghostly company. "What's brought you out here? If I may ask." Laike's deep tones were rather smooth and calm as sleepiness still clung to him.

have you checked out my player preferences?

His chartreuse gaze was focused on the pale agouti as he settled down beside a nearby tree, the corners of his mouth still curved upward. The Artemieva had been a silent but productive addition to Hearthwood since Kisla accepted him. XIX had been distracted in the recents weeks (with good reason) so he had not yet gotten the chance to get to know the agouti male. Aside from knowing that he and Lorcán were siblings, Laike still remained a mystery. Although, from the first few minutes of their encounter, Lachesis knew he was not going to have an issue with the tawny male. He hoped that this was a good sign—that Hearthwood’s bad luck had finally turned around. The new additions were certainly more promising than previous members who had left after getting bored and deciding they could not commit to the life of a pack wolf. Even Aytigin, a wolf that the pale healer was not even sure he liked most days, had proved to be a worthy asset.

As the younger male spoke his thoughts were quickly discarded, his attention being redirected to the large wolf. His brows pinched amusement. They had both been lulled to the ethos for different reasons but were given the same result: an overwhelming calm that (temporarily) rooted them to the meadow. While he had initially sought out solitude he did not mind the presence of the pale agouti or the exchange of words between them. He could seek isolation later. For now he was comfortable.

The ghost gave a soft nod in understanding, for the ethos was one of his favourite hideaways. He and Lilya had named their daughter after the meadow, for it was a place that the almost, but not quite-couple frequented. “I often find myself wandering here, too,” he commented with a soft cant of his muzzle, lips still curved at the edges. Most of the time he did not realize where his paws were taking him until the hyssop brushed against his flanks, inviting him forward. While the meadow served as a place of comfort it was also filled with sorrow and subdued memories, for the bodies of both the former river king and Lachesis’ son were buried beneath the violet flowers. So when Laike returned the question, asking the river alpha what had brought him to the ethos, he hesitated. My dead son is buried next to us and I came to visit him was a response he did not feel like giving. He did not want to confess that it was solitude he was seeking, either, for he did not want Laike to feel as though he was intruding. “The calm,” he responded, finally, after a lengthy pause with a sheepish grin stretched across his pale maw. “Sometimes I come here before heading out on a patrol. Puts me in a more agreeable mood,” he joked with a small laugh, the corners of his eyes crinkling in amusement. 

(This post was last modified: Jun 06, 2017, 02:09 AM by Lachesis.)

stick with those who stick with you

LAIKE ARTEMIEVA

He was glad that he wasn't some weirdo for mindlessly wandering out here in the dawn. It was a bit of a wonder that he hadn't stumbled upon this place before. The colors and scents were so inviting and easy to lock into his memories. Laike would make sure to frequent this place more. Each deep breath in seemed more gentle than the last. Perhaps this place could help cure his lack of slumber, not that he would openly admit such a thing. Had he just casually woke up he wouldn't have minded but it was the lack of sleep throughout the night that would have left him more rugged had he not found this place.

Laike bearly noticed the heavy pause between words of the two males. He was never speedy or pressuring so when talking to others he allowed some time for them to respond. As long as they weren't being indecisive he wouldn't be upset. "Perhaps I should try that out more." The large Artemieva chuckled softly along with his ivory leader. Laike wasn't hyper aggressive or one to mindlessly lash out but he knew that he didn't get along with everyone. He did his best to keep his head down and focus on work, though. Truly he should be working on making the wolves here more like family than just packmates but that was hard for him. Anything with letting someone in was a bit hard.

"I apologize for not approaching you sooner." The large Hearthwood wolf rumbled softly. Mentioning that the ghostly wolf was his alpha, Laike did feel a bit of actual guilt about not being better face to face with the male sooner.

art by kydnt

have you checked out my player preferences?

His lips slowly curved upward at the pale male’s response, the corners of his eyes creasing with amusement. Lachesis was not a hostile wolf—anti-social on his best days, but never aggressive or rude. Not unless he was provoked. After losing Anastasia the first time around the ghost had become increasingly withdrawn and, unfortunately, had never grown out of it. He preferred to spend time on his own and avoid unnecessary conversation; however, as a leader, that was impossible. Seeking a few minutes of quiet solitude was how he could keep the hermit inside of him happy.

He dismissed the younger male’s apology with a soft roll of his shoulders. “You don’t need to apologize,” he countered, his lips still curled into a soft smile. “There has been a lot going on in Hearthwood.” Five puppies and a handful of new members; even Lachesis had problems keeping tabs on everyone. Most of his time was spent with his children and Lilya, and when he was not with them XIX was checking up on Inna and Kisla. “I should have sought you out, too,” he admitted, his lips falling into a sheepish grin as his brows pinched together. “How are you liking the river so far?” He asked, his maw canted to the side as he studied the fiery-eyed male. This time it was Lachesis’ turn to feel guilty, for he should have introduced himself sooner to Laike, and he mentally cursed at himself for being so busy.

stick with those who stick with you