Fallen Tree Cove Things That Need Said

@Tagg 

It was a little worrisome having Namid away and Vespertio step down from his alpha position. Kajika was grateful for the agouti man's trust but like his co-lead the dark Alpha did have his uncertainties about leading the pack. Would he be able to do as well as his former alpha? Could he keep the pack together while Vespertio was having his hiatus? These things bothered him but he supposed all he could do was wait it out and take things day by day.

The morning air was crisp and a fog settled through the trees as the large man plodded his way toward the lake. Even if his position in the pack had changed one thing hadn't, his habit of getting a drink of water first thing in the morning. As well as staying in his makeshift den that he hadn't felt comfortable leaving even after he'd recovered. There was a comfort in that which he found important in these last week's as he took over the leading of the pack alongside Moonshadow.

The leaves rustled under his paws as he passed over them before reaching the shore of the lake. He stopped momentarily at the edge to lap up some water before moving back into the forest. He would get a border patrol done before getting to the rest of his duties of the day. Pausing for a moment as he crossed back over the border the large dark man turned to his left and began his patrol.

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OOC!  

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Word Count: 248

Tagg hadn’t spoken to Kajika since his return, something he found regrettable. He knew his friend was quite busy, what with leading the pack and everything, but he still wished they could talk as they used to.  He missed having his friend in the pack den, though he knew just how hard it was to move back after spending time on one’s own.

  

He was worried the darker man was avoiding him, since he had sort of attacked him upon his return. His shoulder still twinged a little with each step, but it was fading fast.  He was sure that within a few more days, it would be forgotten.  Still, it made it hard to play with his son.

 

Tagg decided to run a border patrol.  He hadn’t done that in a while, and there was something about the action that soothed him. He liked to now that they were safe, and checking with his own eye and ears always made him feel better.  He could tell Chan all was well at night with complete honesty.

 

As he started his trot along the pack boundary, however, he smelled Kajika.  Tagg’s initial instinct was to call out to his friend, but he hesitated.  Would he think he was leaving again, since he was so close to the border?

 

But he had no reason to be afraid; this was Kajika he was talking about. So the veteran called his name and picked up his pace to catch up with him.

"Speech"  Thought

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The sound of his name caused the alpha to stop in his patrol of the borders. He knew the voice well, it was Tagg. The tawny man had just returned to the cove after getting lost while out hunting. Kajika didn't doubt his story and believed he had not purposefully left the cove. He had no reason to since he had a mate and son that he'd left behind.

The problem was that Kajika had made it clear what would happen if Moonshadow was hurt by the tawny man. Though the punishment had been carried out Kajika let it go but the threat was still there and a promise it would be much worse should something like that happen again. He would not allow his friend and her son to he continuously hurt.

As Tagg approached he turned head and tail high with a smile across his maw, “I hope you're settling back in well.” He greeted. He hoped that with Tagg back Moonshadow would feel a little more confident about the situation she was in.

Kajika had done what he could to reassure his co-lead but as always he felt it wasn't him that she needed. It was Tagg because he was her mate and her support through the hard things. Kajika was merely her friend that was there when Tagg was not. “And no plans to get lost again,” he jested to show there weren't any hard feelings between the men.

(This post was last modified: Aug 20, 2017, 05:07 PM by Kajika.)

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OOC! 

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Word Count: 210

Tagg needn’t have bothered to worry about any sort of tense feelings between himself and his friend.  As soon as he was greeted with a smile, the veteran relaxed. “Of course I am.  This is my home.”  He laughed in response to the alpha’s words.  He chortled along with the jest, though it stung. He usually had a very good sense of direction; he didn’t know why he kept ending up lost.

At least he hadn’t been attacked this time, though he would have died before allowing himself to be driven from this place again.  He wasn’t a coward anymore, and he had so much more to fight for. 

Still, he returned the quip. “As if I’d dare leave the territory with such a habit behind me.” He glanced into the trees beyond their border.  Never before had they seemed so foreboding. He felt safest in the territory, of course, but he had never been afraid of setting foot outside. He didn’t like feeling trapped.

He paused a moment.  “Care for some company?” He asked, assuming the alpha was doing the same thing he was. Two wolves on patrol were better than one, after all. If they did encounter someone, they would be better able to conquer whatever it was.

"Speech"  Thought

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Once he'd made good in his threat the situation was over and they could get back to their lives. Tagg had made it back which Kajika knew made Moonshadow and Chan happy and that was all that matter to the dark alpha. However, being that the tawny man was one of his subordinates and his friend he did care that he was getting settled back in. “That it is and I'm glad to have you back.” If it wasn't clear when they had met at the border.

Said as a joke the question about Taking getting lost was also a serious inquiry. He didn't want his friend to go missing because he was part of the pack but also for his co-lead and her son, his godson. Kajika knew that Chan had missed his father very much.

The leader gave a chuckle at the man's retort, “I suppose you've learned your lesson then,” he continued the joke. It was twice now the Tawny man had gotten lost and if Kajika we're honest he hoped it wouldn't happen again. He was worried that Tagg may not return the next time.

The offer of company was accepted with a quick nod, “Of course.” He continued on the path with Tagg at his side in silence for a few paces before he finally spoke up. “I hope you do understand why I did what I did at the border?” He glanced over to his friend, “Moonshadow is my friend and she has always been there. I know she has you but I have to look out for her too.”

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OOC! 

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Word Count: 182

Tagg couldn’t help the prickle of annoyance that he felt when Kajika said he’d learned his lesson. Who are you to teach me? He thought snidely, but kept it to himself.  His friend was a teacher, and now also the alpha.  And he did have a lesson to learn.

Grateful to be on the move again, the veteran was content to walk in silence until the darker man beside him spoke up, checking once again that the guardian knew why he’d been attacked. He nodded. “I bear you no ill will.” He said, glancing at him before returning his lone eye back to his path. “It’s good to know that there is someone I can depend upon to look after her and our son when I fail to do so. That doesn’t give me an excuse, but I find it comforting none the less.”

He hoped Kajika would stop bringing it up. It would be difficult to achieve rapprochement if they kept dwelling on what had happened. He wanted to be able to talk to his friend plainly, like he used to.

"Speech"  Thought

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He felt keeping the mood light was important to show Tagg that he wasn't angry with him any longer. He was glad the man, his friend was back. No matter what had happened in the past for the dark alpha the tawny man had always been a friend to him. However there was a matter he wanted to get off his chest before they went any further.

He asked about the attack and injury he'd given Tagg upon his return. He listen as Tagg spoke about it and was glad to hear the man understood. He always also glad to know the man had no ill will toward him, “I don't have any either.” Kajika nodded as the man spoke about having someone to depend on. “I will always be there for them and while I am sure that won't stop you from worrying about them hopefully it will be a comfort when needed. It's the same for me though, I know that you're there and will take care of them if I can't be.” While he hoped the day would never come it was a comfort to know that as long as he and Tagg were there Moonshadow and Chan would be taken care of.

With that out if the way and the two men continuing their patrol it was time to move onto other topics. “Unfortunately the cove isn't the same as when you left,” he stated looking to the ground in front of him. “Moonshadow, she's holding up alright? I haven't really had the chance to talk to her since right after the rank change" Kajika felt bad about it but so much had happened since then. They talked business but not about how they were feeling, they were way overdue.

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OOC! Sorry for the wait, things got crazy for a minute.

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Word Count: 163

Tagg knew his friend cared for his mate very much, yet he didn’t feel jealous.  To do so would be to mistrust both the current alpha and Moon. He felt there was no need to feel jealousy; instead he only ever felt a sense of affection for the darker man next to him. Guilt gnawed at him for even thinking about what he might do soon… he just needed to ask Moon her thoughts first.

But that was a problem for another day.

For now he just wanted to walk with his friend. His ears pricked up at the mention of his wife. “She’s holding up.  Leading was always something that stressed her out, and now that she’s also a mother and Namid isn’t here to help her… I’m doing what I can to take care of Chan so she doesn’t have to worry, but there’s only so much a father can do.” He sighed.  “I feel kind of useless, to be honest.”

"Speech"  Thought

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The dark alpha knew he would need to take some time and check in with Moonshadow himself. Make sure she knew he was with her every step of the way just like he had promised the first time she had done this. He knew it was hard and extremely stressful on the new mother only this time she had Chan to worry about. Kajika didn't think there was anything wrong with checking in with Tagg about how she was holding up.

As always he listened as the Tawny man spoke about Moonshadow and his own concerns but a frown crossed the alphas dark features at the last thing Tagg said. “First you're not useless and I am sure that Moonshadow would agree. You can only do what you can. I've regrettably never been a father so I'm not going to pretend to know what you're going through but helping take care of Chan to help your mate is a very big thing and shows just how much you love her. With Namid not here to help her you and I have to fill that position and I am doing what I can on the leadership side to help her. I will check in with her though and see what concerns she has. Between the two of us I think we can help her it's just keeping her from thinking about it too much.” That was where Moonshadow got into the most trouble.

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OOC! 

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Word Count: 122

Tagg was surprised by how quickly his friend shot down his doubts. He didn’t see how he wasn’t useless, beyond caring for their son. The dark man was right in that he couldn’t compare his experience, but he was also a leader and Chan’s godfather.

He shook his head. “Taking care of Chan is the bare minimum of my duties as both a father and a husband. I want to do more than that.” But everything else he said rang true. “At least she had some time in the position with Namid still around for a while. Everything about this situation is weird. But you’re right; Moon tends to overthink things far too often.”

Come to think of it, so did he.

"Speech"  Thought

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