Vigils Keep I wish I could say I'm proud

for my darling @Ellery
if you hover over the boys names, it'll explain why he called em that

Elias was by the rocky shore, his gaze downcast. In front of him stood three stone piles, monuments to the sons he had lost. It was strange to know that this was where they were buried and that this was where they'd remain, for now and forever. He'd named them but he'd never told a soul, not because he didn't want anyone to know...But no one had ever asked. Not even Nin.

Tyrus. Jerrin. Kaelo.

Elias had never been very creative, but he knew that names carried weight and that his sons deserved titles that meant something. Even if only to their Father. Maybe it was a little strange to name his children after dead family members but... In a sense it provided Elias with a sense of comfort too, knowing that his little ones would have older counterparts to watch over them. That they would be safe and happy, wherever they were. He would see them again one day, they just had to be patient. Till then Elias had things to do, places to go.

"I'll be back before you know it." He reassured, soft and kind, for their ears only. "So you three ought to behave, watch over your sister for me, please?"

she smiles like a georgia summer

Ellery, being just over 8 weeks old, looked much more like she was 10 weeks. If her large paws were any indication, she would grow into quite the large girl. She was also a puffball of platinum blonde fur and a mouth always asking questions. Thankfully, it seemed everyone around her was more than happy to answer her. Which was why she wasn’t afraid to ask her father what was going on when she came upon him at the water’s edge. “Papa, who talking to?” she asked, eyes following his to the rocks before them. They were just rocks, and even she knew that rocks didn’t talk back. Yet, as she looked at him she could sense an uncharacteristic saddness in him. Papa was never sad, he was always happy and jumpy and fun. She leaned against him, pressing her nose to his neck with a whine.

she laughs like the sound of thunder

Elias hadn't been expecting company, but his-not so little- pudding was always welcome. A slight smile tugged at his lips as he pulled his gaze away from the three standing stones. He supposed that was a good question, after all as far as she could tell there was no one else around. Bending down, he pressed a kiss down the line of her snout. She didn't have to worry for him, he would always be okay when she was around.

Still, this was a difficult topic. He didn't really know what to do or say, but Ellery deserved to know.

"This is...see these stones?" With a dip of his head he motioned to them each in turn. "This is where your brothers are. You know when you're tired and you go to sleep, they're like that...But they won't ever wake up."

He sniffed. Here came the hard part. "Papa is going away for a little while, I wanted to say goodbye to all of you."

she smiles like a georgia summer

He pressed a kiss to her snout, her nose wrinkling as she nipped at him playfully. He was always so kissy, so very physical in a way that no one else in the pack was. Of course, Papa was very different from everyone else in the pack. After all, he was her Papa. When he motioned toward the stones, she looked. Puppy blue gaze examined them, stacked upon each other in front of the waves that lapped upon the beach. Then, he mentioned brothers and her attention snapped to him. Brothers? Like Ramiel and Judas?

She looked back at the stones, counting them. One, two, three. She had three brothers. Three brothers that were sleeping beneath the rocks. Three brothers that would never wake up. She felt a sadness in her chest that she didn’t understand, that she wouldn’t understand until she was much older and much more mature. Elias dropped the last bomb, telling her he was leaving. She blinked, not quite fully understanding. “Papa leaving? I come with?” she asked.

she laughs like the sound of thunder

Oooof.

Elias would have taken a hundred nips rather than respond to her question. But he couldn't lie or dodge the question, she deserved to know. His heart ached in his chest as he rummaged through his head, trying to figure out the best way to...turn her down. It would be a long journey, he'd be on his paws for about two weeks. As much as he adored to spend time with his little star, he would never ever put her through that at such a young age. Perhaps when she was older, stronger, she could go and meet her siblings, but for now she would have to stay behind.

"I'm sorry pudding." He hated denying her, he would've done anything to make her happy. "Not this time. When you're a little older, hm?"

He couldn't resist and bent down to kiss her again, on the top of her head this time.

"I'll be away for a fortnight, or so. You wouldn't forget me, will you?" That's what he feared the most, irrelevancy. There were so many wolves here vying for Nin's attention he couldn't help but worry that he would be shoved aside, that they would take full advantage of his absence.

It wasn’t that Ellery had never been told no. In fact, she’d been told no plenty of times by her mother. But, no was a foreign word between her and Elias. She couldn’t think of a single time he had ever told her no in her whole life, which is why it startled her even more. He said that she could go when she was older, and she wanted to protest. Say that she was plenty big! After all, where he was going couldn’t have that far away could it? She was tough! She was a Hervok! She could make it!

But, she didn’t whine. She didn’t cry. The girl had never done much of either except when she’d been tiny, before her eyes and ears had opened and whining and crying had been all she’d had to communicate her needs. It just wasn’t in her character. He bent down to press a kiss against her head and she shuffled closer, the laying of her ears and the frown on her maw showing her discontent.

The platinum pup made a sound of protest when he asked her not to forget him. How could she forget her own Papa? Big, goofy, handsome Papa who always had her back. No, she’d be counting the days until his return. ”I take care of Mother,” she said, lifting her chin in determination. Papa, Uncle Yuka, and Judas were usually the ones there to watch over the silver matriarch, but without the blonde man there she would take his mantel. At least, however well she could.

Though Ellery didn't complain Elias could tell that she wasn't happy. Her little ears flicked back as she pouted, the picture of cuteness. Elias had to bite back a giggle, it just wouldn't do to laugh at her when things were serious. He would never invalidate her thoughts or feelings, her mind was her own and Elias would always respect that. 

Still, he couldn't help but be relieved when she so proudly announced that she would look after her Mother. He smiled then, wide and earnest as his eyes gleamed with adoration.

"That's my girl." He rumbled. "Keep an eye on the other's too." Not for one moment did he doubt that his daughter would behave better than the Archer duo. There was something about them that didn't quite sit right with Elias, though he had no idea what.

"I'll be leaving in a little bit. Want to sit by the lake with me in the meanwhile?" A moment of peace and quiet sounded wonderful to him, and who better to spend it with?

(This post was last modified: Aug 07, 2018, 03:05 PM by Elias.)

One more post from each?

she smiles like a georgia summer

Her father looked at her with pride and her tail gave a little thump on the ground. She liked making him happy, especially when he had looked so sad. If being strong made him happy and proud, then she’d be strong. For him. Always for him. He told her to look out for the others and she took this as him extending her protection to the rest of the pack. This suggestion made her feel better about not being able to go with him. He was going on an adult mission, but she was doing some of his adult jobs while he was gone! While she would have, of course, preferred him to stay home she could let it slide. “Yes, Papa,” she replied, her expression serious.

He asked if she wanted to sit with him by the lake and she was happy to oblige, laying down next to the large male and her three forever-sleeping siblings.

she laughs like the sound of thunder

(This post was last modified: Sep 01, 2018, 11:00 PM by Ellery.)

Yup yup
just assume that elias blabbers on about the boys after the fade

Ellery was always easy to spend time with, it never felt like a chore or something he had to do. If anything, he felt blessed that she even wanted to pay any attention to him. He lowered himself down into a comfortable sitting position as he swished his tail to the side so that it rested over Ellery's shoulders, like a lazy wolfish approximation of a one armed hug.  

Quiet, peaceful moments like this were all he needed, they gave him the strength to fight on, to live another day. Without his pudding he knew the world would seem darker, so really she was like his little light, golden and shining. A beacon for hope, a sure sign that there would be a better tomorrow.  She held so much promise, she was so much like her mother and yet...he saw himself in her. Maybe this meant that Elias wasn't all bad, that there was hope for him yet. He certainly hoped so at leas.

"Let me tell you about them, your brothers." Elias began, pulling his gaze from the shimmering water to his daughter, who was equally as beautiful in his view.

she smiles like a georgia summer

Elias cloaked her in his big, bushy tail and she snuggled up against him. She wasn’t a big snuggler, but if he was going to be leaving for a while she supposed she should get as much contact as she could. She had a lot to do once he went on his trip, so she could afford to be lazy for the moment. The real job began the next day, and she found she was looking forward to it. Not to Elias being gone, but to the feeling of being useful and of having things to do.

Her fluffy auds swiveled toward the sound of her father’s voice, telling her that he was going to tell her about her siblings. She turned her attention on him, persian gaze wide and curious and ready to cling onto each word he spoke. She could listen to him babble all day long, and she did.

Fade

she laughs like the sound of thunder