Kingsfall you can tear up my heart

Surprise thread intended for @Inna, if you're not interested lemme know and it'll be a read only<3 || Sunrise, Cloudy, 14°F (-26°C)

The snow was thick in the forest. He was aware that the trees could only keep so much out. His breath escaped him in thick wisps as he moved about the area just outside of Hearthwood. There were no plants for him to look for with so much snow caking the lands. Which meant he was rather useless in his usual line of work. Perhaps he could have made himself useful as a guardian but then again he wasn't one for pushing his weight around.

Deep in thought, he chewed on his cheek with a certain nervousness. How would he fair through the winter? Picking right from Lachesis' stash certainly wasn't very professional. Granted he had made the awful mistake of heading off on his own when the plants were dying down.

as of february 19th im not taking new threads with Andre!
im wrapping up current threads before sending him off.

Her dark fur contrasted against that of the white forest around her. Her paws sunk deep into the snow with each step she made in her search for something to add to the cache. The amount of snow only reminded her that it would be Oksana's first winter and she wasn't sure the little Crow was ready for it. Her worries for her daughter's safety through the winter months only increased. If she could she would keep the child in the den where it was safe until the snow had melted but she knew she couldn't, Oksana needed the experience.

As she came around a tree Inna noticed a familiar Agouti figure bringing a smile to her face. She tried to step lightly through the snow in hopes of sneaking up on him but the crunch under her paws was loud enough to most certainly give her away. So she changed tactics and bounded up to him with her tail high over her back. When she reached him she gently bump into him, “Hey stranger, what are you doing out here all on your own?” She asked playfully.

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There is a rabbit's nest nearby. +1 Health

Before he could turn his head to see who was crunching in the snow, there was a familiar presence at his side accompanied by a playful jab of words. His worried look was quickly replaced with a softer and kinder look. The large healer offered a bump back to the dark coated Baranski. What had he been doing out here on his own?

"Just taking a stroll." He replied easily. It was the easiest answer to give while still being the truth. "What drew you out here?" A brow slowly raised above green eyes. André didn't mind her company, never did but he was still curious what the Baranski was getting up to. Hopefully she hadn't been looking for him, he would have waited to have her waste her morning on trailing his weaving steps.

as of february 19th im not taking new threads with Andre!
im wrapping up current threads before sending him off.

She hadn't expected to run into anyone in the Kingswood at such an early hour. Finding Andre was never an unwelcome surprise got the Raven, she enjoyed his company very much. In the past weeks she'd been getting back into her old routines, up early hunting and taking care of her other duties. With Oksana getting older and more independent Inna felt more comfortable leaving her for the time she needed to do her duties. Sometimes she even brought her along. At night however she tried to turn in early so she and her daughter could have their time to talk before sleeping. The Baranski smiled when he returned her bump.

“The Kingswood is a good place for that.” She'd had her fair share of strolls through the forest in her life. “Hunting, I usually try to get it done early so I can go out again later if I feel it's necessary.” She usually judged by how much was in the caches or if she hadn't caught anything the first time. “With the snow getting deeper and winter here I worry more.” Her worries had only grown since the previous year especially now that she had Oksana to worry about too. “I don't want us to run out of food before the prey returns in the spring,” she admitted. She didn't know if stocking up as much as possible really would help them if things went badly but hunting as much as she could made her feel better.

(This post was last modified: Dec 27, 2017, 06:44 PM by Inna.)

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He smiled softly. Indeed it was. The tall trees seemed to welcome him with how the rough bark might tug on his thick winter coat when he got too close. But his attention drifted back to Inna as she elaborated on her own doings.

"Ah, don't worry yourself too much. There are plenty of us to pull the weight of hunting through winter." He assured her with a small smile. Surely even the children could nab smaller prey like rabbits or birds and leave the heavier work to all the capable adults. Perhaps he could smooth over his friend's worries by letting her know she wasn't alone. "Perhaps you could organize a small hunt or team up with someone if it helps you feel better? Not sure I'll be much help, I'm about as slow as they come." The large male chuckled softly.

as of february 19th im not taking new threads with Andre!
im wrapping up current threads before sending him off.

The Kingswood had been her home for so long she couldn't imagine leaving it. It was part of why she had decided to stay beside wanting her daughter to grow up among the trees that were like a shelter. They were also like old friends that were always there, always listening. In past weeks they had brought her comfort and it was to them she ran when she needed to get away but didn't want to go far.

She smiled at his efforts to comfort her and she knew he was right, there were plenty of them to pull the weight. “I worry for the pups, Oksana mostly. It's her first winter and I want to do everything I can to make sure she makes it through.” She supposed a lot of her worrying was the mother in her. Being a first time mother and Oksana already having gone through so much at such a young age she worried more than she probably needed to. She looked away as he suggested getting together with some of the other members of the pack for a hunt. “It's a great idea and I am sure we would be successful. It’s just I'm not very popular with the pack right now but maybe I could ask Lach or Lilya and I would hunt with you any day Andre no matter how slow you think you are.” She gave him another small bump on his shoulder. She knew he was probably going to have questions and she was prepared to answer them.

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"Perhaps giver her some tasks or include her on your trips? It will help keep her busy while teaching her the importance of winter time." He had never been a father but he had seen children been taken care of and they seemed to crave being involved. "She's welcome to shadow me if healing catches her fancy." It was a tedious task for a child but some, like Lavender, didn't seem to mind it.

A brow raised softly at her comment. He would have been content to keep flowing conversation but that start of her sentence had caught his attention. "Why not? You seem like a hit with the rest of the pack from what I've seen." He hadn't even heard someone speak foul of the dark Baranski. The large Jonquille couldn't really wrap his head around it. Although he hadn't known her long she had been nothing but nice to him so far and he couldn't exactly see her being foul towards anyone else.

as of february 19th im not taking new threads with Andre!
im wrapping up current threads before sending him off.

Inna considered what he said about Oksana. “Well I have been trying to get her learning more hunting and tracking and such. Perhaps I should speak to Lachesis about maybe taking her scouting for a few days so she can learn that too?" it was a good thought and Andre was right getting out during winter would he good for Oksana. “You would he welcome to come with us of course if Lachesis agrees.” With it being winter she wasn't sure the pale healer would agree to it since everyone would be needed to help the pack. Her ears perked at his next suggestion, “I would like it if she did actually. I will have to talk to her about it she was showing some interest but I'm not sure now.” After what Lorcan had done Inna wasn't sure of her daughter's feelings on the healing arts, would it just be a reminder to her of something that she no longer had?

She saw his brow raise and knew the question was coming. She waited for it before answering, it gave her time to get her thoughts straight. She sighed, “I have made some bad choices in the past few months and I have not been the best mother nor have I been the best pack member but I am trying to turn it around and make up for what I have done.” She looked at her paws buried in the snow before looking back up to Andre and touching her nose to his cheek. “Please know Andre that the Inna you have seen is the real me and that when I made my bad choices I was in a really bad place.” She suddenly felt she should have told him from the start so that he would know and she worried that he would feel she had been lying to him all this time.

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A small smile tugged at his face. "I'd love to come along. I can serve as a medic and somewhat guardian for the trip perhaps." He was a bit beefy and would make a good shield for the two Baranskis. Not to mention if anything did happen he could be there to patch them up the best he could. "Ah, don't force her into it if she's not interested but feel free to tell her to call me if she is." His tail gave a few gentle waves behind him. The more useful he could make himself, the better.

The large male stayed silent by her side as she explained herself. She didn't elaborate too deeply but he wasn't about to pry more than he already had. They could save that for another day if she felt like it. He would go to move his nose through the fur of her neck if she'd let him. "We all fall into bad places sometimes and as long as you don't let it consume you forever, you're still a good wolf at your core." He had seen others at their weakest physically and mentally. The healer would be the last to judge Inna for whatever she had done. If anything he wanted to help her make further progress.

as of february 19th im not taking new threads with Andre!
im wrapping up current threads before sending him off.