Secret Falls And these little things define you forever, forever

For the lovely @Rory
A little distance from the borders.

With Reyes in the north tending to diplomatic matters, Askan didn't stray too far from their home. It went without saying that he trusted the others,wouldn't let them hang around if he didn't, but it was an unspoken rule that at least one leader should remain in the Shallows. Just in case.

Never being one to sit around on his arse all day though, Askan ventured past their borders with the intention of scoping the land, or trying his paw at a spot of hunting. After they'd brought down that deer together the other day the caches were full as were their bellies, but with winter charging ever closer there was no excuse to be lazy.

He weaved through the bare trees with his nose pressed to the snow, all sorts of scents tickled his nostrils, but one in particular caught his attention. It was that of a wolf, not one of his but a loner.

From the scent alone, and the way it was layered he could tell that they had been loitering near the border for quite some time. Pacing back and forth, spying on them behind the trees.

Askan's hackles stood on end as he glanced about, who the fuck thought that this was a good idea? Really? They should have known better.

He sniffed at the ground again, there was something about this scent though, something that seemed familiar, a tint he recognised. So maybe not a complete stranger, but a loner nonetheless.

With his tail held high, his yellow gaze skimmed the woodlands once more. If he couldn't find her then he'd have the whole pack come and look, that probably wouldn't be a nice situation to be in, so he supposed he could offer her a chance. Just one.

"I know you're here. So why are you here, so close to my home?" He asked, his voice deep and commanding. Just like his Father had sounded when he was pissed off.

i don't even know if i believe

Aurora Thanne

She was supposed to have been busying herself; hunting or tracking or wandering some nearby land. Today though, she was tired and lingered near the border of Shallow's Edge with hope that Cotton would come find her and they would find something to do together before nightfall would bring him back home in the safety of his new home while Rory repeated the process well beyond their clearly marked borders. She hadn't told Cotton yet, that she was contemplating joining him, but than again she figured he wouldn't believe her. She had been a loner for so long, what could possibly get her to change her mind now.

His voice frightened her and she shook at her spot. She figured that he would have found her out eventually but nothing could have prepared her for the awkward meeting they would have at his border. She had been stupid enough to stick around when everything within her was telling her to keep busy so that her scent wouldn't linger, and now, she had an angry alpha to face. "I...I was waiting for Cotton." she admitted, coming out from the meager hiding place she had made to find his scowling face staring long and hard at her. She had been stupid to even answer him, but it was a better option than running and potentially starting a chase.

"He told me, I mean...he lead me here and I've been waiting for him." she said, fumbling over her words like that of a child. Her excuse sounded as childish as it was the truth but she figured that Askan was aware of her fear of commitment; their last encounter have been over her desire to remain free. "I don't mean any trouble, honestly. Askan, I was just...waiting." and she lowered to her stomach with a whine, for fear that he would unleash a wrath of sharp teeth on her spine. She deserved it and yet she hoped, for her and Cotton's sake, that he would have mercy.

(This post was last modified: Dec 02, 2017, 02:15 AM by Rory.)

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Two things took the Edge Lord by surprise. One, that she knew Cotton and two that she wasn't just a random loner, he'd met her before,months and months ago in The Wildwood. But shit...What was her name? He was sure she had given it to him, it was so hard to remember as their meeting had been so brief.

Rory? He was pretty sure that was it. Just in case he wasn't though, he made a pointed effort not to say her name. Lest he made an arse out of himself.

His expression softened just a smidge as he regarded her, his critical yellow gaze roaming over her form. She seemed to be doing well enough, wasn't remarkably skinny, hell she pretty much looked the same as when he'd seen her last. The loner life suited her, it seemed.

Granting an alpha respect was one thing...But this was pretty pathetic. He was half tempted to demand that she get to her feet, but instead opted for a slightly more subtle route.

"Calm down."He told her, though not patiently, allowing his tail to arch back down. He wasn't going to attack nor threaten her, but they were still close to his land, relaxing completely would send the wrong message. Instead, he allowed his ears to spring back up as he listened to her words."If you're here for Cotton then... that changes things, I suppose. Did he tell you how to get here?"

Surely that was the case, otherwise how else could she have found them? Knew that Cotton was here? But nonetheless he wanted to hear her say it, take in her version of events. And if something seemed fishy then he'd ask @Cottongrass later, no big deal. He had this handled.

"You're a long way from those woods, have you been alone this whole time?"

Again, old habits died hard. He tended to question those near the Fields borders before and here he was doing the same.

(This post was last modified: Dec 02, 2017, 02:49 AM by Askan.)

A lynx has left behind the remains of a deer. +5 Health

i don't even know if i believe

Aurora Thanne

His words made her jump but she obeyed them without question, standing to her full height and meeting the gaze of Askan in silence. Something about this male commanded respect, and Rory wouldn't deny this male that even if someone dared, fearing the consequences if she so much as second guessed his demand. She could sense, from his gaze and the silence that followed his command, that he was thinking and this gave her enough time to do the same and when he mentioned Cottongrass she jumped at the opportunity to explain to him that she had been following him to this exact location. "Yes, he did. He told me that you and another wolf...Reyes I believe, left the Fields to start your own pack." she said, proud that she had remembered the name of the other individual; stress often brought out the best in her.

He asked if she was alone and her head nodded without resistance, stopping only when she thought to further explain herself in case he needed more than just a nod for assurance. "I...I mean me and Cotton were searching for his friend and we were to meet up here in case one of us got lost." she shared with him and figured to add a tad more just in case he wanted to know why she had considered coming all the way out here when she had the freedom to roam wherever she pleased. "I was shocked that Cotton left the Fields, he seemed happy there but then he told me he had left with you and I knew that perhaps there was more to it then I initially thought." she said, licking her lips to moisten the dryness that had come over them. "he speaks so highly of you. You mean a lot to him." she admitted, ears falling back to her head. It would seem that Cotton had gotten through to Askan in a way that she couldn't, but the two did share packs and had probably encountered each other more than once. There had to be more to the dark male than she recalled during their first meeting.

Graphics by Arya and Becuffin!

Cotton told her about Reyes? Jeeze, Cotton was great and all but he clearly needed to learn how to control that motor mouth of his.It probably didn't seem like a big deal to him, but blabbing about the pack so openly like that wasn't a good idea. If he could have pinched the bridge of his nose he would have, but for now he made do with a frustrated huff.

Askan was aware of this friend of Cotton's, the one he had left to look for, but had returned empty handed. He'd expected as much but had chosen not to say anything about it, lest he hurt the fluffballs feelings. Whatever had happened to his friend was of little interest to the Edge Lord. Cotton was safe here and that was all that mattered.

"Well...I don't think he was happy there, honestly."Askan admitted, a frown tugging at his features. It seemed as though liked the Field in the same way Askan did, Reyes certainly hadn't and...Well, he didn't count the others. Those who remained behind had been cut out of the picture, they could do whatever they liked for all he cared.

"There was...a disagreement so we left and here we are. Shallows Edge."His tail flicked, gesturing to the woods behind them.

The fact that Cotton spoke fondly of him...Shit. That felt good, made his chest all warm and tingly. And perhaps if he'd been in more familiar company he would have burst out into a cheesy grin. But he wasn't and so his reaction was a little more subdued, more of a smirk than an outright smile. Though nonetheless, it reached his eyes.

"Well, I guess that's nice to hear. Have you changed your mind since we last met? You seemed pretty damn determined to go it alone, thought pack life wouldn't suit you. Or something along those lines."

Admittedly, he was a little curious. Had she just come here to snoop, to talk? What intentions hid behind her pale yellow eyes?

i don't even know if i believe

Aurora Thanne

She was thrown off by Askan's huff, and wondered if it was something she'd said that had caused the swift change in attitude. Had she known that Reyes was a secret she would have kept that information to herself, but given that Cotton had told her of the pack, she had assumed that sharing the information wouldn't compromise anything. she was after all a bit naive and saw things a tad bit different.

He said that Cotton wasn't happy in the Rye and for a moment Rory wondered why she hadn't noticed it. She'd always saw him so bubbly, a great representation of the pack he'd come from but she figured the dark male probably knew him much better than she did and the information had changed her perception completely. What else had she been overlooking about Cotton? She tuned in when the dark male mentioned that a disagreement had come between him leaving the pack or staying; it must have been a huge issue to leave behind family. "I'm sorry that happened, but it worked out in your favor either way." she smiled, trying to find a positive in the supposed negative.

The topic returned to her and her lack of a pack and she felt her cheeks grow hot with embarrassment. She hadn't changed much since their last encounter and if she had anything else to do with things, they never would. With so many packs in the land, she was confused whether one would completely suit her needs. "I'm still a rogue. That hasn't stopped many wolves from offering me a home, but I'm just not ready." she said, shivering at her spot when a cold breeze blew past them, "Winter has never been my favorite season but I'm fairing decently. The land has been good to me." she admitted, hoping to convince him that she was capable of taking care of herself. "what made you choose this place to settle down?" she hoped the question didn't come out as harsh but curiosity had really come over her.

Graphics by Arya and Becuffin!

Askan didn't particularly care whether she really was sorry or not, but she was right in that it had worked out in their favour. It wasn't as though he had served under Drestig with the intention of usurping his throne when he least suspected it. Leading Shallows Edge was out of necessity, not because Askan longed for power, or wanted to walk in his Father's footsteps.If that was the case then wouldn't he have gone back to reclaim his homeland? Tried to rebuild it, just as his sire had all those years ago?

He was a Selwyn and would always remain so but...that chapter had come to an end and he'd moved on. It was for the best, it hurt less this way.

Rogue. Askan couldn't help but snort. That was something Reyes would say, hell her whole attitude was pretty similar to how he'd been. I don't need a pack, I'm doing fine on my own. Bla bla bla. It was old news and if Rory though he'd beg and plead then she had another thing coming.

Askan liked to think they were doing good, all things considered. Their numbers were few but they were self-reliant and the fact that the kids were almost yearlings meant that they were more or less independent, didn't need to be minded all the time. More reliable wolves wouldn't be amiss but...Askan didn't like asking for help.

"Hmph. Fair enough, I guess."He didn't have a lot to say. Everything that came to mind was a little to salty for 'polite' conversation so he bit his tongue and held back the worst.

"After we left the Field we roamed a bit and stumbled upon these parts. No immediate neighbours, so no one to take offence to us moving in. And the pack closest to us is led by a friend so it seemed the right place to settle."He finished with a shrug.

i don't even know if i believe

Aurora Thanne

While others would consider her stubborn in her ways, she considered it being smart about a commitment. She knew that her loyalty had been spotty in the past and joining a pack where one would pledge their devotion meant lying in the face of wolves that she would no doubt grow to love and cherish. She couldn't do that to them, not when she knew how detrimental it could be in determining whether she could return as friend or foe in the future.

She could understand Askan's frustration, it was hard to understand even for her but she was sticking to this for as long as she could. When the timing was right, her commitment would come as easy as giving out her name. "Thank you for understanding." she mentioned with a nod of her square head, her eyes sought for his own and she produced a smile. It would seem that her lack of urgency had gotten her in trouble with him in their last encounter but today, it would seem the male had all but given up and could probably care less. All the better for her.

"You picked a nice place. I think Heartwood isn't too far off, correct?" she quite enjoyed the leader of the pack and Aytigin had stolen a portion of her heart as well. "I wouldn't mind visiting come spring, when traveling isn't as hard. Maybe then I'll come bearing good news." she hoped to be ready to settle into pack life well before Spring but the move was a tricky one. "Reyes, who is he?" she remembered to ask, since Cotton had labeled him, alongside herself and Askan, as his best friend.

Graphics by Arya and Becuffin!

this got a lot longer than i intended, no need to match <3

"Yeah."Askan grunted in response to her show of gratitude.

It had bothered him before, but then again a lot of things did back then. It just seemed as though she was being stubborn, clinging onto old ways for the sake of it. But now he realised it wasn't such a big deal, it was her life if she wanted to screw herself over then she was welcome to. If she didn't mind freezing in the dark depths of winter then that was fine. If she didn't mind going hungry for weeks on end, then that was fine too, no skin off his nose.

He couldn't spend all of his time worrying about loners who lurked around the Lore, he had his own family to look after.

"Mmm, it's a couple of days away."Not too far, but not too close. They'd chosen well, or so Askan thought in his not so humble opinion.

When Rory went on to continue Askan's brows drew together as a frown formed on his face. Good news in the spring huh? That sounded fishy. Call him cynical but nothing ever good happened in spring, too many damn youngsters who couldn't help themselves. If they spent more time thinking with their brains instead of their bits well...Hawth and Sachiel probably wouldn't be under his care now, would they?

Either way he hoped she wouldn't rock up to his borders all round and asking for a place to stay. It wouldn't end well, that's for sure.

She was old enough to take responsibility for her own actions and from what he could tell she'd avoided the burden of motherhood just fine so far, so he spared her the lecture. Even if the urge to finger wag was pretty damn hard to resist.

So instead he moved on and tilted his head at her next question

Reyes was...it was hard to say. He was a lot of things, charming, charismatic and -more than- a bit of a dick. But he was Askan's, for now and for as long as he'd have him. Saying as much wasn't going to happen, he was unwilling to bear his soul like that. The extent of their relationship was their own business and the notion of someone trying to shove their nose in made him grimace in distaste.

"He's my partner."He said, plain and simple. There was nothing more to it, that's just how it was and how it was meant to be. "We lead together."