Willow Ridge Pax in Morte

Nicolo's death thread. Anyone in WR is welcome to find him. @Leotie @Sven @Ravenna @Adeltra @Blitz @Casanova @Lilith

During one of his moment's of clarity, he'd heard that Romanov was no longer within Willow Ridge. That he was gone. He did not know if the piece of information had come from his daughter or other members of the pack but he had heard it. It only made him feel a crushing pain in his heart, one that made him much feel like he'd failed his family. His wife and Willow Ridge as a whole. All Nicolo wanted to do was regain his strength and go out looking for his only son. In the following weeks, however, his conditions did nothing but worsen. Before he knew it, he was denridden, forced to remain inside due to the coursing pain that flowed through his body at any movement. There had to be something else other than simple depression that was bringing the old man down. He would have been better by now. The dark Archer had been through worse. Adele. Yes, he could see her now. Her brown coat and sandy eyes that were stood out against his own if they were compared. They looked so different from one another they were oftenly mistaken as something other than siblings. A weak smile formed on the man's lips, unsure if this was his own mind playing tricks on him or reality itself. She finally came back. That night, he spoke with her for what seemed like forever, reminding her of his fears - though it seemed as if she already knew, just as she always did - and what he hoped for his children. It was with her reassurances, and her bright smile, that Nicolo's heart stopped and the Dark Archer was no more.

WesternStock @ DA, KYghost @ DA & Dawnthieves.de - Table by PuppyThief

{Nicolo died from unknown causes}

(This post was last modified: Mar 31, 2018, 03:56 AM by Nicolò.)

Nicolo had begun a slow decline ever since the disappearance of Romanov. The man, who had already rarely left the den, had been reduced to staying in it at all times. His coughs had gotten rougher, his breathing more labored and it had gotten to the point that the young girl was almost afraid to step in the den with the fear that he would no longer be living.

Yet, this day was a good day and she felt like a little bit of the weight had lifted from her shoulders. She padded to the den to give him her daily visit, a skip in her step if you would. She peered into the den, honeyed gaze taking in the form of her father. It seemed like he was asleep. A nap, she decided, was in her favor so she hopped right in. She circled, trying to find the best spot to wriggle herself into to curl up with her father. Adeltra moved into a crouch, crawling forward to place herself as the ‘little spoon’, but as soon as her nose touch his paw she stopped.

Why was he so cold?

She pulled back, a certain dread creeping into her chest. A silence filled the den, a silence that was usually filled with his snoring if he was asleep. The den felt...empty. Daddy? she whispered, her voice thick. She moved forward to nudge him, his body tough with rigor mortis. She gave him another harsh shove, but still he didn’t move. And she knew he would move no more.

Tears built in her eyes, falling down her cheeks as her body began to shake. Romanov was gone. Enoki was gone. Her father was dead. She was the last of her immediate family. She was the last. Her hiccuping sob filled the silence as she pressed her forehead against his. Perhaps in time she would find solace in the fact that he was no longer suffering, that he would no longer feel sickness or the pain that enveloped him from day to day. He would no longer feel the heaviness of the loss of his mate or his son. But for that moment, all Addy could feel was the loss of it all. Her head lifted, a cry of anguish, of pain, of loneliness, rose into the air before she curled up, shaking, against her parent’s form.

It had been just a few days since her incounter with her brother Niles. The event still left her sour and her mood had been in a rather grumpy state. Of course her being pregnant only I handed these emotions for where the woman was otherwise good with keeping it together and now had more of an open door, so to speak. This day, she would learn, would not be any better. It fact, it would be far worse.

Nicolo's poor condition was no secret to anyone within the ranks of Willow Ridge. In fact, surely everyone knew that one of their pack members was a recluse, barely speaking to anyone savor his daughter and barely out of the hollow of the pack's den. It was only the last few weeks that an internal pain welled in her uncle out of no where when before it had not been as such. No horrible illness had stricken him, no injury he had gained from a fight or a hunt gone wrong. No, Nicolo's pain was more of an emotional one, one that only seemed to progress the longer he went without his mate. It was something Ravenna had experienced before from her mother when Angier had disappeared and she feared that down the road her uncle may suffer the same fate. The thoughts were terrifying for her, that while love was beautiful and powerful, it also meant if something happen in the relationship, you were lost and nothing then on your own.

Ravenna swallowed hard, feeling a nausea in her gut that made her have to pause in her steps in order to stop the dizziness, to ease the feeling to vomit. After a few moments of deep, calm breathing, her head lifted and her ears perked to the sound of Adeltra's call echoing over the territory of her home. It was a call of absolute sorrow and instantly Ravenna's thoughts pulled to Nicolo. After all Ravenna couldn't imagine any other making Adeltra cry out with so much pain.

Ravenna ran, a heat overwhelming her caused by her worry for the girl. It did not take far long for her to reach the pack den within her home. She slowed as she got near in order to both allow herself to catch her breath and to allow herself to try to prepare, if only for a moment, the pain that was sure to come. Taking another deep breath Ravenna slipped into the confines of the den to find Adeltra curled around her father who Ravenna could tell had passed due to unfortunately seeing too much in her life already. Ravenna moved in closer to press her nose to Nicolo's cool cheek in a silent farewell to her uncle. Then her silver gaze moved to Adeltra and she approached the girl slowly so that she may press herself to her side as she settled down. "Del...I'm so very sorry."

not looking for some fairytale bliss

As far as she knew everything was going well with her pregnancy except now she was hungry like all the time. She didn't feel right always taking from the cache without putting something in a couple of times a day. She figured she had better get as much in before she became too big to get around anymore. She had just returned and made her deposit into the cache when she heard it.

The most sorrowful call she'd ever heard and she knew from the voice exactly who it was,Adeltra. She knew that only one thing could make her sound like that. With Enoki and Romanov gone it had to he her father, Nicolo. Leotie was aware of the progression if his illness. She'd hoped that he would come through it and be okay. She hadn't had much time to really get to know him but he’d always been nice to her. There were times she'd even sat in the den with him whether he knew she was there or not she didn't know.

Leotie raised her muzzle into the air and sang her own sorrowful song to the man and to his family. One way she could show them all that she would be there for them all through their grieving. When she had finished her song she ran toward the den to be there in person for then if they needed her. She wanted to say her goodbyes to the man as well, he was a pack mate and a good man.

Reaching the den she slowly stepped in so as to not disturb the inhabitants. She found Addy and Ravenna settled next to the fallen Archer. She gave them both a dip of her head before she moved over to Nicolo’s body. Silently she bent her head and licked his crown in farewell and safe travels. She then moved to one side of the den where she too settled in as silent support of the wolves that she called family.

i want something just like this

Please see Kajika's OOC profile for OOC preferences, thank you

For weeks, even months, Blitz had been aware of the dark seconds ill health. He rarely saw the Archer, who for his own benefit, was confined daily to the den. Out of respect and wishing to afford the struggling man his privacy, the Mizuno kept his distance. He managed to make his presence known in small ways by dropping off a morsel from the caches or delivering a fresh change of bedding, which was needed during these cold nights.

Now that he was an expectant father for the very first time in his young life, Blitz felt it more important than ever to work on forging close relationships with those in the ranks. Particularly those of Archer blood. Starting with Nicolo and his young daughter, Adeltra. He was considering paying the older male a visit, to check in and if possible, get to know him better, should he be feeling well enough. But just as such a thought registered in his mind, it was cut short by the most dreadful cry he had ever heard. That was Adeltra's voice. Coming from the den.

His heart tightened deep in his chest, ears pinning back as he sprinted with earnest towards the densite. Long before he arrived, long before his paws placed at the entrance, he knew what he would find. There was no mistaking the cry of a child who had lost their guardian. It was one of the most painful things in life a wolf would experience. And no matter how hard you braced yourself, prepared or not, the pain was just as great. His acidic eyes gave away his arrival as he appeared at the mouth of the den, his expression somber as he saw most of the pack already gathered. Nicolo lay silent as if transformed into a statue in death. And Adeltra right by his side, clinging to her father. His paws made no sound against the ground as he padded forth softly, as if not to disturb the delicate silence that hung heavy in the air. Sitting beside Ravenna, his usually sharp gaze was gentle as he looked upon the fallen Archer, ears back. His eyes slipped closed, head bowing in farewell. He had never known Nicolo and now he never would, much to his regret.

though i'm empty when you go

Lilith tried to remain as far as possibly from the eldest Archer. She did not feel comfortable within his range. Likely for all he was suffering from both spiritually,mentally, and physically. It was just too much to be near. Despite Ravenna being about the best medic Lilith had met she would bet the only cure for him would be the return of his mate. Despite everything, and her lack of experience with such brokenness she did what she could. Keeping to old rituals hoping he might regain strength. Be able to be a father to his daughter. See not all was lost. If she caught something suitable, untainted, she tried to put it close by for him before scurrying off.

She hadn't even reached the den when she knew he was gone. Everything that had kept a darkness upon him was no longer, and whatever light he had left wasn't there either. As her paws picked along the ground all she could think about was Adeltra and the wound that was far from healed. She really wished she could spare her this. Even as her mind reeled to Ravenna, a plan to break the news to the young Archer she knew it was too late for that as well. Lilith didn't like the pain that started to creep in her heart. It didn't belong there. For the girl, she walked the distance. She could not bring herself to enter. A gentle whine sang from her closed lips, and she remained on the outside. Broken like the rest.

i just wanted you to know

@Sven @Casanova  you're still welcome to jump in!

She laid there in the deafening silence for what felt like years, as time seemed to move sluggishly. In all reality it was a very short period of time before Ravenna rushed into the den. She pressed herself to the girl’s side, but Adeltra hardly felt the contact. Her condolences felt jumbled, muffled in her ears. She pressed herself further into her father’s cold body.

Vaguely, she noted the arrival of the others. Leotie, Blitz, then Lilith though the last kept herself on the outside. Perhaps that was for the best, because the more wolves that came into the den the more crowded it got and the more her breathing became shallow. Her heart was beating hard in her chest, auds pressed flat against her skull as she tried to wriggled herself into a freer spot. For the moment, the touch of another was too much. It overloaded her, a girl who was still trying to wrap her brain around the fact that she would no longer hear her father’s voice or curl up against his side. It was too much. A whine escaped her.

(Sorry I've been so scarce!)

Casanova approached with caution in his steps, he was still new and spent most of his time checking the boarders. He really needed to through himself out there more, but this wasn't how he wanted to do it. Quietly he moved through the barren willows with ears pressed down. He didn't want to hear their pain, it made his heart race with anxiety. The red beast wasn't so sure of his place here either, he didn't know his packmates very well at all.

Coming to stop at the scene he was quiet and grim, keeping his distance from everyone. his honey hued eyes were apologetic as they fell onto each wolf in turn. His tail tucked, ears limp, muzzle low. He wondered if they would need his help to carry the dark furred wolf before them all that was clearly deceased. He wasn't sure how to act or what to say, remaining a silent figure in the background. He didn't want to escalate things.

Cas Boi
"Now listen to me baby
Before I love and leave you
They call me heart breaker
I don't wanna deceive you"

Read more: Jacob Taio Cruz - Break Your Heart Lyrics | MetroLyrics

Shallow water has trapped several fish in a small pond. Hunt Opportunity

Leotie was quick to arrive next, slipping into the large opening of the pack's den created by a rocky formation out in the Drooping Willows. She comes to settle down next to Adeltra's open side and soon Blitz is arriving next and comes to sit down next to Ravenna's open side that was not settled along side the young girl who had just lost her father. Everyone is silent though they offer their respects in their mourning. Ravenna could hear others gathering outside and her dark gray ears turn to the sound of their arrival, her nose twitches and she could tell it was both Lilith and Cassanova. Everyone was here now savor @Sven but it was easy to think that he had been out on border patrol or even hunting for something fresh for Nicolo to eat as he had done time and time before. He had taken himself into overdrive making sure that both the sick and the pregnant women of the pack were well fed and safe.

Adeltra shifted then, moving so that she could get some space from those who had gathered around her and to press herself further into the fur of her dead father. Ravenna did not object to this, did not try to tell the girl that it was too late, that her father was dead. Adeltra was a smart girl, she knew this and there was no need to press the manner. She needed time, needed space in order to mourn properly before they drug her father away to bury him with all the many of those who had died before him - Adele, Isolde, Skana, Guiness and some others which names had been lost to Ravenna now yet still their bodies remained in Willow Ridge's little grave yard.

Ravenna lifted then, moving to press her muzzle along the neckline of Blitz in hopes that he would follow her. She exits then den, passing a glance and a frown in the direction of both Cas and Lilith. Ravenna remembered when her parents died and she did not wish to hear the 'it's going to be okay', 'they are in a better place', 'they are at peace'. All Ravenna had wanted was some silence, some time to mourn the loss of her parents before they were buried under that willow tree from which they both died and which they had both met. So Ravenna slid down onto the ground outside of her pack's den and said nothing else.