Wild Rye Fields Wild Rye Fields Pack Thread

Askan wasn't sure if he was relieved that Aleksei came quickly. On one hand it would have been nice to have a chance to think about what he was going to say. But on the other, he feared if he had the chance he would have chickened out and back peddled his way out of this mess. Not that it was a mess, he had to remind himself, for all he knew this could be a good thing. A new chance, a fresh start. Maybe it was what he needed, for the north held all sorts of failures and miseries in its grasp.

Just like Aleksei, Askan decided to cut to the chase.

He stood and greeted him with a wag or two of his tail, before his expression became just that more serious.

"Yeah...You might have noticed, or heard me bitching about it once before but... There used to be more of us, you know? And I'm sick of it. I've had enough of being taken advantage of, walked all over. So I'm out. Me and Reyes we're going."He sighed, it felt as though a massive weight had been lifted from his shoulders. How many times would he have this conversation in the coming days, hours?"I didn't just want to leave you hanging...Figured you ought to know."

Huh.

Well.

That was unexpected.

Aleksei stared for a moment. His brows knitted and his eyes narrowed. Askan was leaving Wild Rye Fields? Just like that?

“Hey. Good for you.”

His expression relaxed and he offered a smile, nodding his head. “I know what that feels like, being somewhere you don’t feel appreciated. It makes a wolf miserable. So, I’m kind of glad to hear that you and Reyes are moving on.” Aleksei paused, frowning slightly. “I … you know, I’m thinking maybe I’ll go, too. I mean, the fields are great and all, but I’m not ...” He chewed the inside of his mouth, giving a shrug. “I’m not good without structure.”

“I’d come with you, but I’d hate to be the handsome third antler that gets stuck between you two.” He shot Askan a grin, hoping to lighten the mood a bit. “Besides, I gotta try to be around for Risaela and Mathéo. Stay local.”

Let the roots & soil drink of me
Whispering leaves & pointing branches will tell them where I'm lying

Askan would be a liar if he said he wasn't a little disappointed. It would have been nice if he'd chosen to join them, but he wasn't gonna drag the Baranski by his tail either. He was his own man, it was his life and he was free to live it as he chose. And maybe he was a little right, Reyes had always been a good travelling companion, maybe he would have been a bit of a third wheel. Whether they intended that or not.

"Handsome? Who told you that?"He snorted, like it was the funniest thing he'd heard all day...Which he supposed it was."But yeah...In all seriousness, I get it. Do what you gotta do.Can't fault you for that. But know this...We're still good, right?  I don't know where we'll be going but..." Ah shit he was bad at this. So instead he gave Alek's shoulder an affectionate, brotherly bump."You need anything, you come find us, yeah? I'm sure we'll leave a blazing trail, or something like that. We got big shining personalities, can't forget us." He shot Aleksei his best, grin and wink, for good measure.

He really would miss him, that's for sure.

"Enough of this downer talk. Let's do something cool...like, want to scuffle?"He asked, already bowing down, as his tail lashed behind him.

“Just about everyone,” he casually replied, a twinkle in his eye.

But then the conversation got serious again, and Aleksei nodded. Of course they were still good! Was he giving the impression that they were not good? That Askan leaving was the end of their friendship? The shoulder bump was met with a growly whine and a wag of the tail. Aleksei knew that, sometimes, words were just a little too difficult to get out.

It was his time to snort now, though. “Yeah, you’re definitely unforgettable. Finding you will be easy. I’ll only have to ask once and be pointed in your direction. ‘The two grumpy ones’ they’ll say.” Aleksei chuckled. It was weird, laughing like this, knowing that Askan was going to be taking his leave soon, with Reyes at his side. He was happy for them, sure, but he felt a genuine sadness, too. They were his friends. It’d be tough to watch them go.

He owed them a lot.

“Oh, you’re on,” he grinned, dropping into his own play bow. “Don’t worry, I’ll go easy on you.” Ears perked atop his head, tail swishing enthusiastically behind him, Aleksei bounced forward, towards Askan. The (play) fight was on! No backing down now!

Let the roots & soil drink of me
Whispering leaves & pointing branches will tell them where I'm lying

@Aleksei or @Adelayde maybe??

He seemed to be constantly shifting between guilt and anger, both of them relentlessly warring within him; I really am too old for this! Any of it. Certainly too old to be sulky and emotional, as if the world was being unfair to him. He’d been through much worse than this; And through much less fault of my own! There it was again, the guilt, blaming himself for driving them away. Which was ridiculous, they’d made their own choices, just as much as he had. In the end they had all just tried to do what was best; Though clearly we have very different ideas about what that is! Or just different ideas of who’s best.

Drestig sighed, rolling over in the dust outside the pack den - where the ground had already been worn down by the incessant scramble in and out, of the pups and their caretakers. He really was too old, too old to brood like a yearling, too old to cry about someone leaving, and too old to be bitter about it too. Yet he wanted to do it all. Wanted to yell so loud the damn bastards could hear him, wherever they were; And maybe consider coming back… He shook his head, angry at his own emotions and their inconsistency. The last thing his family needed right now was for him to wallow; What’s left of it anyway… So he wouldn’t, he’d stop, he’d forget about all this and get back to what mattered. In another minute or so.

word count: 254

Thoughts."Speech"

WILD RYE Fields

TEMPLATE © NDA OF RCR & RPG-D

Aleksei had noted something about the old leader was … off. It was more than a little obvious, and he’d tried to keep his nose out of such personal business (Askan and Reyes had been long time members, as far as he knew), but he couldn’t any longer—it was a sad state of affairs, sure, but did no one else see how good this would be for the two dark furred males? Was no one proud? Did they all just see it as their own loss, not as Askan and Reyes’ gain? Wasn’t that just a little … unfair?

But what did Aleksei know. He hadn’t been here long. He didn’t really feel like he could criticise the Rye wolves for having feelings about long time members leaving.

Having followed Drestig’s scent to the pack den, Aleksei gave a low chuff of greeting, tail tucked between his legs as he gave his submissive greeting. He fell quiet for a moment, settling down into a sit, before he asked his question. “Sorry for sticking my nose into your business, Drestig, but … are you all right?” It probably wasn’t good for such an elderly fellow to be fluctuating in moods so much. Stress and all that, right?

Let the roots & soil drink of me
Whispering leaves & pointing branches will tell them where I'm lying

And the moment was up. I quiet bark alerted him to the arrival of someone else, and the dark head quickly turned, a half-smile curving his lips at the sight of Aleksei. The young Baranski was a quiet sort - Even more quiet lately - which wasn’t so strange. But the timid question he asked now was a surprising glimpse of the nature hiding behind that reserved exterior. Drestig shook himself gently, straightening up into a seat as he smiled faintly over at the boy. “My business’s your business too, that’s what we’re all about around here,” He answered softly, a sigh falling from dark lips as he lightly shook his head; “Guess I haven’t been the best example on that lately.”

Eyes drifting from the tawny lad, he gazed through the trees, where the stalks of rye could be seen waving, just a pawful of steps away. The fields of gold had seemed like a sign when they came upon them that spring - A small eternity ago - and they were still full of promise, but Drestig no longer felt so excited by the prospect; Just tired. A melancholic smile graced his lips when he looked back over at his-now-second, one ear flicking down in chagrin. “I will be,” he answered then, meeting Aleksei’s eyes; “It’s just hard, you know? Guess part of me imagined they’d stay here forever.” Pausing, he chuckled quietly, looking down at the claw-marked dirt.  “Suppose I should get used to it. That’s what it is to be a father, isn’t it?”

word count: 258

Thoughts."Speech"

WILD RYE Fields

TEMPLATE © NDA OF RCR & RPG-D

Aleksei nodded. It was hard adjusting to a pack where the hierarchy was so different to Hearthwood River—everyone here was so open, so reliant on one another. Perhaps that’s why Askan and Reyes leaving stung so much. They were family to everyone. Following his leader’s gaze, the agouti looked out onto the fields beyond. The snows would be here soon, in a cycle or two of the moon. He had promises to keep, to Risaela and Mathéo. He’d damn well keep them.

Attention snapping back to the older male, Aleksei smiled weakly. “I think so,” he said, his own voice soft, “I’ve never been a dad, so I can’t say for sure. But, I think it’s okay to miss them. Askan and Reyes were good guys. I know I’ll miss them.” Aleksei paused, licked his lips, and met Drestig’s gaze full on. The younger wolf smiled, tail swishing across the floor. “You’ve done everything you can for them, Drestig. And I know they’re grateful. But this’ll be good for them. You should be proud. You gave them everything they need to make their own futures.” Not quite sure if his words could be taken as offensive, he shrugged.

“I’m just saying. I wish I knew if my dad were proud of me before he died. That’s my biggest regret, I think. You … you still have a chance to tell Askan. Even if you’re not really his father, you’re probably the closest thing he has to one here.”

Let the roots & soil drink of me
Whispering leaves & pointing branches will tell them where I'm lying

Good guys. Perhaps not the first adjective he would have thought of. But Aleksei was right, they’d grown a lot through their time in the Fields and now they were ready to move on, stand completely on their own; But I DO miss them! Which was part of life as well. At least he knew they were out there, living their dream, all grown up and learning on their own bodies what it was like to truly be in charge. He almost laughed at the thought, smiling at Aleksei and nodding his head; They’ve gotten all they could here… That was the bitter part, he supposed, not just that they had taken all they needed and left - on the verge of winter no less - but that he couldn’t give them any more. At some point everything left to learn was just out there; Can’t protect anyone forever..!

The boy’s next words surprised him though, ears and brows both jerking up. “Of course I’m proud of them, I’m damn proud of the both of them and how far they’ve come!” Surely they knew that! Or was Aleksei right, had he been too caught up in the implications for the remainder of the pack to let them know, to give them his blessing; “Guess there’s one thing I need to set straight then…” A smirk tilted up one half of his mouth, but it was mostly devoid of humor; The lad’s revelation, and the notion about his own father making the moment way too somber for gallows-humor. Instead Drestig inclined his head slightly,keeping their eye contact as he said: “I’ve no doubt he was Aleksei. I may not have known him very well, but I am a dad, and if my boy’s turn out half as good as you I’ll be very proud!”

Leaning back on his hunches, the elder man sighed again, loosening his eyes from the bright chartreuses. Again looking out into the glimpse of the Fields, visible between the tree trunks, he was surprised to find their hopeful glow just a little more enticing, and he smiled crookedly to himself; Guess there’s always someone else… And that wasn’t such a bad thing. Still, or perhaps because of that thought, he suddenly asked: “Why didn’t you go with them?” His gaze shifted back to the tawny wolf, no blame or pressure in his eyes and voice, only curiosity; “They were most of the reason you came here,” that was putting it generously; “I’m sure they would have been happy to bring you along.”

word count: 425

Thoughts."Speech"

WILD RYE Fields

TEMPLATE © NDA OF RCR & RPG-D

With a bashful chuckle, Aleksei smiled. It was nice to receive that kind of praise, to know that someone would be proud of their kids if they turned out like the Baranski firstborn. Even with all his flaws and mistakes, he was still a good creature. He hoped his father was proud. As much as he disagreed with his family’s parental tactics (you’re the first, the one the rest will look up to, lead by example), he loved them. Missed them. “Thanks,” he breathed out, unsure why his throat felt so tight, his eyes so damp. Was he tearing up? Ah, jeez. Aleksei sniffed once, blinked away the moisture in his eyes.

Drestig’s gaze drifted back to the field of rye between the trees, and Aleksei did the same. He could understand why the old man had decided to settle down here with his family. There was something … enticing about those stalks, the way they swayed, their golden glow. Sunlight did this place justice, but it begged the question; what would happen come winter? So caught up in his own thoughts about the future, Aleksei found himself taken a little aback at Drestig’s words. The agouti male frowned. “I … I thought about it, I can’t lie. But my family—Risaela and Mathéo—they don’t have their mother. No father. An older sister who lies to her pack, keeps secrets. I can’t trust them with Inna, much as I wish I could. I want to be there for them. I want to be their big brother too.”

He sucked in a deep breath.

“Which is why I’m requesting your permission to visit Hearthwood River. I promised I’d see them, before the snows fall.”

Let the roots & soil drink of me
Whispering leaves & pointing branches will tell them where I'm lying