Bramble Falls go big or go home

Backdated to 6/5. For @Archer only.

Having finished slaking his thirst, Eros took a step into the remaining waters of the dwindled cataract. There used to be fish that swam amongst the ripples, but most of them had been hunted by desperate animals or suffocated by the retreating depths. It was a stark reminder of their unfortunate reality, but still the young Valle focused on the future. All things had an after, didn't they?

"Hey Archer..." he bid for his siblings attention without taking his eyes off his paws, toes wriggling in the silt.

"Y'ever think about how we're like, barely younger than Dad and Uncle Vay were when they founded the Backwater?"

He did, a lot. Eros wanted to be that independent, to make his own rules.

Archer Valle

Life had been tense the last few months, ever since Eros had run off and gotten into his fight with Sharlee. Archer had tried to be supportive, doing his best to explain to his littermate that he just didn't want Da to yell anymore, that he didn't want to see them hurt Eros the way they were hurting him anymore, that sometimes walking away is the safest. He agreed with all the points Eros had made, but the adults weren't going to listen.

Da wasn't going to listen. That had probably been the hardest blow for Archer in particular. He'd idolized their da since the day he'd first stepped from the den, craving his attention and approval. He'd thought his Da was flawless. They older they got the more he realized that wasn't true, and watching him interact with their newest siblings... well, he could see why he'd thought so highly of him.

Losing that image of his idol hurt.

But Archer would stand by his brother.

Today they were spending time together and had luckily found water. As they drank Eros spoke. His tone itself was enough to catch Archer's attention and the younger teen looked up. He considered the question. "Sometimes," he admitted. "Do you?"

Archer is very haggard and thin; it is obvious he is not doing well.

Archer's response didn't necessarily speak to the same ambitious thinking that Eros utilized when pondering the matter. He hesitated, familiar worries floating to the surface of his mind to plague his confidence. What if his brother didn't ever want to leave the Backwater? What if he took Eros wanting to personally? What if...

The tawny boy cleared his throat.

"Yeah. Actually, I uh..." his gaze hovered on the water briefly, before he turned his peach gaze onto his sibling's dial.

"I wanna make my own pack, Arch. I don't wanna leave the valley, but I... I don't wanna live their way anymore. I wanna make a place where wolves are heard."

Archer Valle

Had Eros brought this up at any other time, Archer would have immediately balked. He loved the Backwater, his familiar home with its safe creeks and fish - or it had been, before the drought. He did love his family, even if they were being stupid right now. He hated the tension. He hated that Clover never had the time to train him anymore like she'd promised. He hated that Eros had been so muted as of late.

To give himself more time to think about his reply, Archer dipped his head to take another drink. When at last it had been too long he said, "Where do you want to go?" He looked back at his littermate, whom he would follow anywhere. His thoughts turned briefly to his packmates, one in particular he didn't want to leave. "Can we take Kateri, if she wants to go?"

Archer is very haggard and thin; it is obvious he is not doing well.

His brother didn't reply immediately, instead taking to the water again. Eros swallowed, nerves increasing. He thought it was a bad idea, didn't he? He was just trying to figure out how to say it, and-

Where do you want to go?

The young Valle breathed out, but still wasn't sure if this was further inquiry before making his decision or simply biding his time. It didn't click that he was saying yes until he asked a follow up question, one that took Eros rather off guard.

Kateri?

"W-," his face twisted briefly with mild confusion. That was his priority?

"I mean, yeah. I was thinking me, you n' Seri, Kateri n' Leo and Ollie if he wanted to come. Maybe even those girls from the Chasm? And, probably, somewhere around here. So we don't have to worry about being without water."

Archer Valle

Archer listened, not missing his brother's momentary confusion. If it hadn't been such a serious topic he might have laughed at him. As it was, he merely watched the lighter boy as he listed his planned invites. His ears flicked briefly in surprise at the mention of Ollie. He hadn't seen their half brother around much; he'd been incredibly disinterested since his sister left, and Archer had honestly avoided him after the poison incident.

He did crack a small smile at 'those girls from the Chasm.' "Marrah and Enera?" he said, bemused, before sobering again. We could camp out by the Falls... That's where we've been going anyway. Unless your goal is getting away from Da completely, because I'm sure he'll find us there when he goes for water."

His thoughts turned again to the list, musing over the crew. It was a good group... Well, with as much as he knew about the Chasm girls. They'd have to keep an eye on Ollie, but other than that... "Who would lead? Other than you, I mean," he said.

Archer is very haggard and thin; it is obvious he is not doing well.

"Yeah!" Eros confirmed, smile brightening at the sound of their names. Surely some of their agemates across the Lore had to feel the same way, or at least want to stretch their legs and test themselves. Right?

Unless your goal is getting away from Da completely.

The teen's tawny ears lowered a touch, and he shook his head at the notion.

"No, I don't want to be away from him at all. I just don't want to live under his rules anymore. Besides, there's plenty of us," he went on, yet unwitting to the fact that his mother and Vayko would not come back as they'd promised to.

"It's natural to split up at some point, right? We can be allies and help each other, like we do with the Cove but closer. As for leadership... how much have you heard about the Council back at the Estuary?"

Archer Valle

Archer brightened at his littermate's quick acceptance of inviting others, and he couldn't help a smile as he reminded him of the Chasm's girls' names. He didn't know them well, but perhaps they would want to see something new too. And then their conversation took a different turn. It was clear Archer's words unintentionally upset Eros, but the older boy explained his reasoning. Archer had to admit he was relieved leaving their da entirely wasn't part of the plan; just starting their own life. He was okay with that.

"It is getting crowded around here," he agreed, then remembered his charge. "What about Inger and her children? I don't know if Da will let them stay if you and I leave. Nobody else here really cares about them. They can come too, right?" He was responsible for them, and sometimes wondered if this was what fatherhood felt like. Those pups were incredibly important to him - almost more so than his own newer siblings.

Archer is very haggard and thin; it is obvious he is not doing well.

Still Archer did not shy away from the proposition, and just like that it was starting to feel all the more real. This was happening, they were making it possible just like their parents had. His tail wagged heartily at his back.

"Yeah! That'd be kind of great, actually. With the kids in our pack we could get away with not havin' to have our own right away," Eros admitted with an almost-nervous chuckle. He wasn't sure why it was so important to do anyways, and while he was ready to lead at the same age his father did he knew now from the experience with his younger siblings that he was not prepared to be a dad anytime soon. He anticipated that Archer and @Seri would feel the same way.