Hearthwood River we get colder as we grow older

 @Lilya | A meteor shower overtakes the sky! 
dated for August 24 | middle of the night

A lot had happened in the course of a few weeks. Lachesis did not know how to process the arrival of Anastasia—the wolf who had helped shape him into who he was now. She had found her way to the north, found her way to him, and now resided in Hearthwood. He blinked, dumbfounded by the events that had transpired. It felt surreal, having the blue-eyed dove so close after so long. It was like stepping into a time warp.

Only things weren’t the same as the china doll had left it. He had grown since she left Cut Rock a second time, scared off by all of the change that had happened in her absence. Although leadership had never been part of his plans XIX had grown to like his position in the river and felt as though it was where he was meant to be. He could not imagine living anywhere else and he would remain in the Kingswood until he was no longer needed.

His lips curved into a frown, his toes curling into the river bank as he watched the reflection of the stars falling across the sky. There was much he needed to inform his mate and co-lead on. He had updated the blue-eyed sparrow on the conversation that had occurred between him and Reyes but now he needed to update her on the punishment he had given the two scouts and Anastasia’s arrival. His frown deepened. Too much was happening all at once. It was enough to make his head spin.

With a heavy sigh he dragged himself from the edge of the river and retreated to the den he’d been sharing with Lilya. “Val,” he cooed from the entrance, hoping he would not disturb the sleeping twins. “Come, you gotta see this,” he added in an excited whisper, hoping that the meteor shower would help lure the sparrow from her slumber. Or she was going to claw his face off. Worth it.

stick with those who stick with you

Much had changed, and while Lilya had not been actively involved in the changes, instead focusing on the children and their health… all the children and their health, not just her own, she knew that new feet had traipsed across the River territory, marked by the scents of those around her. She didn’t know yet what this would mean for her, or how it would change her life, even if it wasn’t in a bad way. She heard Lachesis lure her out of the den. She’d been napping after having finally gotten the girls down to sleep for the night, her eyes lazily dragging open with a soft groan.

It was a shame she couldn’t seem to tell him no, not when he seemed so excited at whatever it was he wanted her to see. She started to pull herself up, pushing her front paws up and then following with her hind paws, carefully making sure the two girls were next to each other so, despite not having her warmth, they had each other’s. If she were lucky, it’d be enough to keep them both asleep. With still-heavy eyelids, she pressed her way out of the den, looking up at the night sky to see what all the fuss was about.

It was awe-inspiring… perhaps a little terrifying.

“S’beautiful.” She murmured as her fur brushed against his, having gently bumped his shoulder before settling down right next to him, close enough that anyone who saw would have no doubt about what their relationship was. The shower of stars from the heavens was mystic. “Ya reckon we’re safe ‘ere, right… none of them r’gonna hit us..?” Always with her worrying...

For a moment he forgot about the real reason why he had pulled his sparrow mate from her slumber. She slumped down beside him, her sapphire gaze fixated on the remarkable dance in the sky. He hummed in agreement as he followed her line of sight, his hindquarters folding beneath him as he leaned into her. “Not as beautiful as you,” he cooed, his maw canted toward her ear as he nipped, playfully, at her cheek. Now that they had established their feelings toward each other things were so much easier. The heavy weight within his chest had been lifted and he was free to say thoughts he usually suppressed, for he had been unsure if the war veteran had reciprocated them. “Nah, we’re fine,” he hummed once more, a crooked grin collapsing onto his pale maw. He, too, had wondered the same thing. They certainly were two (worried) peas in a(n anxious) pod.

He fell silent once more, his forepaws shuffling awkwardly in the dirt as he watched the stars fall, struggling to figure out what to say. There was no need to hold back from her, for he trusted her more than he trusted himself. As both his mate and his co-lead she needed to know what had occurred between him and their scouts… and that Anastasia had arrived in the Lore once more.

“So I talked to Inna and Lorcán,” he started after a brief pause, his tone hushed to ensure that they weren’t overhead by prying ears. “They claim the Rye wolves started it—which Reyes confirmed. But,” he frowned, his voice trailing off, “I feel as though it could have been handled better. They acted too boldly and I worry about what Jessie thinks of us now.” He sighed, his shoulders sagging. “Reyes said he had been punished for his actions, so I gave them the same punishment. They’re on pup-sitting duty—no borders, no patrols. No leaving Hearthwood. Not until we apologize to Wild Rye for their actions.” His voice was still low, barely above a whisper as he kept his muzzle close to the sparrow’s ear. “I’d like to go—to apologize to Jessie. But I wasn’t sure if you wanted to?” The blue-eyed veteran was friends with the agouti leader. He would not protest if she wanted to visit her friend and make a formal apology on Hearthwood’s behalf.

(This post was last modified: Aug 24, 2017, 05:49 AM by Lachesis.)

stick with those who stick with you

A young deer has been separated from the rest of its herd. Hunt Opportunity

She could feel the small amounts of heat rising to her cheeks as he cooed in her direction, rather bashful towards the affection before she nuzzled his neck softly and licked his cheek in return. Things felt different, and it was most certainly a good different, but it still took a little getting used to. Her ears perked when he mentioned Inna and Lorcan, and more importantly, what had transpired on their visit to the Rye borders to speak with Jessie. Honestly, Lilya didn’t necessarily find herself surprised. Grief did strange things, and she of all people knew that better than anyone.

“Ah don’t blame her… Inna’s goin’ through a lot, between figurin’ out how ta be a mother, then losin’ her own?” She remembered the conversation she’d had with the Baranski back when they were both still pregnant about how they’d felt about it, the insecurities she’d been braced with. She gave him a comforting smile, trying to ease his worries about Jessie. The punishment, while a little harsh to the minds of some, felt more like a blessing to Lilya – after all, the woman would get to spend more time with her daughter, without having to worry about having other things to do because it was her sole job. She didn’t know much about Lorcan, but he had been close to Oksana, everyone had noticed it, and she was fairly certain he’d find the task at least bearable as well. “If ah know Jessie, she’ll be understandin’ n’she won’t judge the pack fer it.”

He offered to let her go but she shook her head. “Ah’ve been meanin’ ta make a trip over there, but Ah think you should go. I’ll find ‘nother time ta see ‘er, just diplomacy ain’t something I’m super good at n’this is pack business… I’ll stay n’watch Lil and Lav.” She felt a little… apprehensive? She remembered the last trip she went on, granted she was injured and pregnant… but she could have blown things with the Monadnock given her behavior… true, this time Jessie was her friend and she hadn’t been attacked by a Rye wolf… she still felt Lachesis should go in her place.

The raven’s grief had certainly played a part in the conversation between her and the Rye wolves. She was still mourning the death of her mother and desperate to get her little sister back to the Kingswood, before the scent disappeared from her pelt completely. Inna was still young and like the sparrow had pointed out, she was still trying to figure out how to be a mother. He frowned. “Perhaps one of us should have gone in the first place,” he murmured, speaking his previous thoughts aloud as his brows furrowed. The entire situation could have been avoided if he had gone to deliver the news himself—or sent Lilya. The sparrow had a good relationship with the queen of the gold sea; there would have been no quarrel between them. It was too late for should have’s and could have’s. The damage had already been done. Now they had to rectify the situation before it got worse. “I hope you’re right,” he sighed at Lilya’s comment, his frown only deepening as the words rolled off his tongue.

His ears twitched as she spoke, his head tipping to the side as he turned to meet her sapphire gaze. “Are you sure?” He asked, cautiously, his gaze soft. He nosed her cheek once more, seeking comfort in her warm fur. The ghost would have liked the sparrow to accompany him, but he knew it was not feasible. It took three days just to arrive at the Fields; they both could not afford to leave the river at the same time. Lachesis knew that they could delay the meeting any longer—too much time had already passed since the altercation occurred. The longer it took for either him, or Lilya, to arrive at the borders of Fields the more Jessie would think that Lachesis supported the raven’s suggestion to sever the alliance.

“Aleksei has joined them,” he added, his voice subdued as he offered the veteran a small smile. “He shared some interesting information with both Reyes and Askan.”

stick with those who stick with you

Hindsight was 20/20, and they both knew that so his words, his afterthought that perhaps one of them should have gone meant nothing in the long run. She made no comment of it, only offered him a soft smile, suggesting that perhaps he had been right, but it was too late to question their decisions now. “Jus’ tell ‘er that we’re sorry, n’that Inna was speakin’ outta grief. It’s something Ah think she’ll understand. She’s a fair wolf.” Lilya tried to assure further. This alliance wasn’t onesided – if Jessie hadn’t broken off the alliance because of the interaction with Inna and Lorcan, then evidently she also saw something in it.

It was his next piece of information that the veteran took interest in, her head cocking softly to the side with a frown hinting at her features. She had never particularly got along with Aleksei, for various reasons, and she had a feeling he wasn’t too fond of her either. “What infermation is that?” She asked, curiosity getting the best of her as she kept her icy gaze on his form, waiting for him to explain. Was it just gossip? Was the information about them? Or was it about someone they all knew? It had to be one of the two if Lachesis was so ready to bring it up to her.

While Lachesis was not terribly familiar with the agouti Tainn to the west he had heard nothing but good things about her, and had also had a pleasant experience with her before. Aside from the mishap between her and Inna, the river wolves had never given their western neighbours a reason to mistrust them. Except from when Lachesis had been unnecessarily wary of them due to Craw’s paranoia leaking into his own head. How foolish. The ghost was glad the silver spider had fled the lands, for he frequently fretted that it had been him to send Mittani after the sparrow—his mate. Kisla had always fought for an alliance between her aunt’s back and theirs, and XIX intended to honour that relationship. There was no reason for it to dissolve—especially not over something so silly.

He nodded, quickly, offering her a small smile as he touched her cheek quickly with his nose. “You’re probably right,” he cooed in response, his ears falling back against his crown. He hoped she was right, he really did.

The ghost knew that the sparrow would take the bait, her eyes glistening with curiosity as the question rolled off her tongue like an eager cub. For a fleeting moment he felt like a little yearling, for he was practically buzzing with the juicy information he was about to unveil the tawny war veteran. “Apparently Aleksei figured out who Oksana’s father is,” he started, his brows pinched together, “and he’s in Hearthwood.” His head fell to the side as he tried to gauge her reaction. “From what I understand, all—or most—of Wild Rye knows, too.” Reyes had infected him with the gossip gab, but he did not mind. 

stick with those who stick with you

Lilya refrained from commenting when he expressed his thought – yes, perhaps one of them should have gone instead, but it was too late for that. What was done was done and they could not change that anymore. “Trus’ me. Ah’m right.” She didn’t want him to doubt what was left of the alliance between the River and the Rye wolves. They were family to the River, and she doubted it would take as little as a grieving wolf getting a little upset at the borders to break that. Especially once Lachesis went to them in person to apologize for the actions of their subordinates.

Was Lachesis… gossiping? She had to admit she was intrigued, a strange look on her face as she connected the dots… “Back during th’spring Lorcan told me that Aleksei ‘ad accused him of being the father..?” She admitted softly, something she’d written off at the time. “He’d been so upset ‘bout it, Ah assumed it was a false accusation.” Was it actually true? It might explain quite a bit… the fact that the Rye wolves knew… the only way to really confirm the information is to hear it from one of them… otherwise there was no way to positively identify the father’s identity… it would be interesting to see how things unfold. “Do ya think it’s true..?”

“You’re always right,” he hummed in response, a single brow arched high into his forehead. He did not doubt that Jessie would be willing to hear him out, as the relationship between their packs had been good up until that unfortunate meeting. Lachesis had delivered herbs to them prior to the birth of her children and had sent herbs with Reyes to help a wounded Askan without any thought of repayment. He had not done so to earn brownie points or make himself look better. The ghost had done so purely out of the goodness of his heart, because he was just that. A good guy. He did not possess a mean bone in his body, nor did he have the desire to be malicious or vindictive. Helping others was all he cared about—after his own pack and family, of course.

Gossiping wasn’t his forté. It would never be. But he had been eager to share the information with his mate—mostly to hear what her take on the situation was. His ears twitched as she spoke, explaining that Lorcán had told her about Aleksei’s accusations. He rolled his eyes, dramatically, as Lilya announced how upset the tawny healer had been. The pair had done an exceptional job in deceiving the rest of Hearthwood, so Lachesis had to give them credit for that. Not once had they slipped up. But now that the truth was out it made sense. Why Lorcán had chosen to come to Hearthwood. Why he had spent so much time with the raven, tending to both her and Oksana. He felt foolish for not discovering it himself sooner.

Good on ya, Aleksei.

“I know it’s true.” A frown creased his features. “They admitted it to me. Well, I sort of called them out on it and then they told me.” He offered her a sheepish grin, his pear coloured pools fixated on her tawny features. “I can see why they lied, to protect each other, but it still does not make it right.” A heavy sigh accompanied his words, his head tilting to the side as he waited for her response to the news.

stick with those who stick with you