Willow Ridge La Vie En Rose

For @Sven  c:

Adeltra was attempting to get things back to how they should be...or at least a vague resemblance of what she thought they should be. She was still reeling from learning that she was the reason that her mother was gone, but she had to have faith that the piebald woman would come back to them. She had to. The young Archer couldn’t imagine a life without her in it ever again, she still had so much that she needed to learn. So much that they needed to do together. She tried not to dwell on it too much because dwelling on it wouldn’t bring Enoki home any sooner. The best thing she could do was to make the Ridge strong, both physically and connection wise. They all seemed to get along pretty well but she had missed a lot of bonding time in her absence. She had a lot of catching up to do and she knew that, so when the pale rump of her cousin came into view she was quick to stop to see what he was up to. Quality time with Sven didn’t seem bad at all! “Didya catch something good?” she asked, noticing that he was burying something in a cache.

the devil is & always will

Sven was putting the last few clods of frozen dirt and icy snow over what remained of one of last season's fawns that he'd been lucky enough to find separated from its mother and slay. His muzzle was still stained with its blood, and occasionally his tongue would run the length of his lips to erode at the crimson frost.

He didn't expect Adeltra to pop up behind him as he completed his work, but he wasn't opposed to the child's presence either. Sven enjoyed his young cousins, and was happy that the girl was back, for Roman's sake as well as the pack's.

"Fawn," he answered her, putting the finishing touches on the grave. Looking over his should he thought to ask, "you aren't hungry, are you? I can dig it back up."

be a gentleman.

He mentioned that it was fawn and her brows rose. But, fawns were so big and she hadn’t heard any call for a hunt? She looked at him wide eyed. “By yourself?” she asked, rather impressed. Of course Sven was huge, he and Rav both were while Addy was just a little pipsqueak and likely would be for the rest of her life. The concept of taking down even a fawn alone seemed preposterous to her, but maybe for them it was a piece of cake. 

He asked if she wanted some and she paused, mulling it over. She was still skinnier than normal from her time away, her fluffy winter pelt making her seemed a bit better than what she actually was. But, even then it was winter and they were slowly getting more members. She could wait. “Nah, I’ll be fine,” she said with a grin, sitting her rump down. There might be a time where prey was really scarce and they’d need all the food they could get.

She looked at her cousin, the scene between he and Miss. Piety playing on her mind. She had wondered about it ever since it had happened, her nose too curious for it's own good. It wasn’t her place to ask about that, but he’d seemed so hurt. So done. She didn’t know almost anything about the pale man other than their blood relation and that he was fun to play with. Even if they hadn’t gotten to know each other for very long, he was still blood. It made her sad and confused to see him in that sort of state and it made her feel a little guilty for acting the way she had. She didn’t regret it, but she knew she didn’t know the whole story. Hell, there was a lot about the world and herself that she didn’t know. “Hey, you know we love you right?” she asked.

(This post was last modified: Dec 15, 2017, 05:54 PM by Adeltra.)

the devil is & always will

Sven chuckled at her awe. It truly hadn't been any particularly marvelous feat, just exceptional luck to have found the poor youth so alone. He wouldn't mind letting her think that he was some sort of hunting expert, however. When she refused the offer, he packed the snow back down and then turned to face her. He was about to question what she was up to, but the look in her eyes stopped his tongue, and then she said the oddest thing.

For a moment, he just blinked at her. Then, a smile creeped its way up his muzzle.

"I know," he answered in a genuine voice. Sven would never be able to trust the future, but he did know that today he was loved by his pack. By Ravenna and Leotie, Nicolo and Enoki (wherever she might be), and while he hadn't been present their whole lives as he had wanted to be, Sven felt his bond with the children strengthening every day. Even without the mantle of leadership, he realized he'd never really felt as fulfilled as he did right in that moment.

"What's got you thinking I don't?" he then queried in a gentle voice. It was clear something was on her mind, and he was here for her no matter what she needed to talk about.

be a gentleman.

He said “I know” and she gave a strong nod as if to say “good”. She was happy that he knew that, that even without Miss. Piety in his life he could still be happy. Just like she knew she could be happy if her mother didn’t come back. She gulped down a strong ache in her chest at the prospect of never cuddling up with the piebald woman again and suddenly had even more respect for the man in front of her. He asked her why she mentioned it and her auds flickered back for a second. Her paw prodded at the ground.


“It’s not my business or anything, but I know you and Miss. Piety don’t have a good relationship. I don’t wanna make you sad or anything by talking about it so we don’t have to, but you don’t have to have a mom to be loved. I mean, momma’s gone and it’s probably…” she paused, about to say her fault but she bit her tongue. She didn’t really know where she was going with this anymore. “Um, anyways, I just wanted to make sure you know. And I’m sorry about the way I acted, I hope I didn’t make you mad,” she said. Smooth.

the devil is & always will

Sven gathered his paws underneath himself and reclined, knowing by the look on the girl's face that she had something important and possibly lengthy to say. He was patient in his waiting, and as she started and his ears tipped forward, he made sure to listen until the very end before allowing his mind to conjure up answers. He had always thought himself to be a mindful sounding board for Attica, but clearly he had done something to make her feel that she could not come to him. He didn't want to repeat that mistake with his cousins.

"You were standing up for someone who had saved your life. You didn't have the whole story. I appreciate this though, Addy. A lot."

She was a child, and had been reactive, but then she had taken time to think about the situation and try to understand his side of it. It truly did mean the world to him. She was showing an emotional maturity beyond her age, and certainly was more put together than he had been even within the last year.

"It did take me a long time to learn that. I spent most of my life wanting nothing but for her to come back home, so much so that nothing else could make me happy. That's not me anymore, though. You can be good with Piety. Me, I'm better off not thinking of her as my mother."

He hoped she could understand what he was saying, that he wasn't being depressing or odd. He felt it had been extremely important for him to come to terms with things as they were, and simply wanted to share the possibility. In case Adeltra ever find herself in a similar situation, though he hoped that would never be.

"Enoki didn't leave because she didn't love you, though. You and Roman, you mean the world to her. I want to say she'll find her way back to us, but maybe she won't. No matter what, she'd want you to know that though. It's right there in your name. You're precious to this family, Addy."

be a gentleman.

There is a family of deer nearby. Hunt Opportunity

He mentioned that he appreciated and she gave a nod, her tail waving gently behind her frame. He went on to explain his feelings a bit more and her heart squeezed in her chest in sympathy for her pale cousin. She couldn’t imagine either of her parents abandoning her but Sven, both of his parents had abandoned him. The Ridge was all he had, she realized, and it occurred to her just how strong he was. If he was okay with Miss. Piety not being in his life then maybe that was the best thing. She felt that maybe his mother had paid her dues, losing both her son and her mate. The pain she felt was evident but that didn’t mean that the pair needed to rekindle their relationship.

Her auds sprung forward as he began speaking again and she stared at him, brows rising in surprise. Her heart constricted painfully at his words, but they were good to hear. She knew that Enoki wouldn’t leave them on purpose, but the girl couldn’t help but feel guilty that she was the reason that she had left. There was no way around it, her stupid decision and curiosity had gotten her in trouble and now they were all paying the price. If her mother didn’t come back or was found dead she didn’t think she’d ever forgive herself.

The last bit of his words confused her. Her name? It was just a word she thought, something that everyone called her. Of course her last name had meaning but she didn’t think anything about her first. It was perhaps a bit formal to her, the reason she suggested that everyone call her Addy instead. “What do you mean?” she asked.

the devil is & always will

What do you mean? she asked, and he blinked back at her. Had her parents really never told her who she was named after, the legacy she carried on her shoulders? Well, that certainly couldn't sit. Sven was quick to remedy her gap in knowledge.

"Adeltra. Adele Elettra. Both your aunts, on your father's side. Adele and him were inseparable before she passed. And Elettra... nonna was the greatest Archer this land has known. Founded the Ridge nearly six years ago, made us what we are today. Everything is thanks to her. She was strong, indomitable, precise. You couldn't get anything past her, and she made sure you knew it. ... I miss her terribly."

be a gentleman.

What her cousin revealed, quite frankly, shocked her. She’d had no idea that she’d been named after anyone, especially not two wolves of such great importance. Her brows lowered on confusion, not quite understanding why she’d not been told before that moment about something so important. At least, it was important to her. This Elettra...her aunt, seemed so amazing. And if her father and Aunt Adele had been so close why had she never been told about her? She was baffled, truly, but grateful that she knew now. Just what she was going to do with this knowledge now however…

I...didn’t know. About any of that. It’s kind of a lot… she said, auds flickering down for a moment before a small grin began to stretch onto her lips. But it’s also, like, a big honor. They both seem so important, especially Aunt Elettra. To bring us all here...that must have been super tough. If you respect her so much she must have been a wonderful wolf, she said, her tail giving a thump on the ground.