Kingsfall dreams bring back memories

He hadn’t really thought about her, and certainly hadn’t dreamt about her for a long time. But it was funny, how one’s mind could conjure up memories and feelings from the past at the most random of times, and tonight was one such night. He’d seen Nori, his friend had been right there in his dream, but he hadn’t been able to reach her. Those feelings of hurt, of sadness, of not knowing returned, and sleep was impossible.

So even though it was dark and cold and snowy, he’d quietly slipped off into the night for a walk until he’d reached a clearing, and then he’d flopped down into the cold snow. Taking in the forest and breathing in the frigid night air, gazing up at the stars to remind himself that there was still a lot to be thankful for. That he was still surrounded by wolves that cared and that he cared about. That he had a job to do. It meant a lot. This goal, the path that Jet was on now. It was not something he'd even fathomed when they'd first met.

This was all because of her. Because she’d taken a chance. He wondered what she would’ve thought if she could be here now.

”Where are you?” Jet murmured to himself. And before he knew it, he felt a few tiny droplets of warm moisture gathering in the corners of his eyes, which he sought to blink away.

Maybe one day. He still hoped.

for @Caspian - hopefully a kinda melancholy Jet to start is okay

Cas was a rather carefree kid, it was true. But the night was a different story. His dreams often turned strange and even when he stayed awake, the hours seemed stranger whenever darkness bathed the land.

He'd dreamed of losing someone who's face he couldn't even place, and risen to wander into the frosted night. As his dreams faded in his mind he became more absorbed in his explorations, marveling at the delicate ice formations that formed along the rock ledges and tree branches. Since his ankle was fully healed, and they'd made this new place their home, the youth had taken to exploring their abode as he pleased. The ever-present music of the water was different from the lakeshore, more talkative, and he could not quite decide whether he liked the babbling voices as much as the quiet and calm of their old home.

Eventually his wanderings took him further from the falls into the dark forest. It was certainly quieter here, but when Cas found a set of fresh footprints in the snow, he decided to follow after them.

Breaking through the underbrush into the clearing, Cas was surprised by how quickly the man in the center of the clearing seemed to have sensed him, even lying and facing away from him as he was. But Jethro's question, spoken aloud into the night, and something in the tone brought the boy up short at the clearing's edge. "Um, I'm here?" he offered.

Jethro is all good, thank you for starting!

Just like the last time Jet had ventured out in search of his lost friend, he hadn’t really been expecting an answer. Much less so, this time, to a softly spoken musing. Yet, a response was what he received, and almost immediately at that. Though he recognized the voice, it snapped the dark one out of his reverie, and he quickly turned to face the source of the sound, forepaws pushing his body into an upright position.

A quick shake of his head and a few more blinks cleared his eyes, which then set about scanning for the other. Caspian was not easy to pick out immediately against the backdrop of a snowy landscape, and he might’ve even been able to hide for a while if that was his intent. But that did not seem to be the case, and it was his bright eyes Jethro noticed first.

”Hey, Caspian,” Jet greeted, allowing a welcoming smile to cross his countenance. He’d meant to try to spend more time with both of the group's youngest members. While he hadn’t intended to do that tonight, he’d welcome it in place of wallowing in grief and continuing to pine for someone that’d never return.

”Can’t sleep, either?”

Jethro greeted him with a smile, but Cas still couldn't help feeling as if he had intruded upon a solitary moment. Still, the large man seemed to welcome some company, and it was too late to go back. "Hi," He responded with a swaying of his tail and a smile in return.

Padding forward, the youth moved to sit near the darker form before answering. "Nah, 'd rather be out doin' somethin',"  he glanced toward Jethro, wondering what brought him out here tonight. Was he looking for someone else, waiting? Keeping watch? Maybe Jethro had strange dreams and memories that kept him awake sometimes, too.

"Whatcha doin' out here?" He voiced his curiosity and concern, hoping he wasn't being too impolite. Ma wouldn't like that very much.

Caspian returned the greeting and sauntered forth a few more steps through the snow, bringing himself closer. The kid confirmed after he’d settled that he did prefer to be out doing something rather than sleeping.

He hummed thoughtfully. ”Mm. Maybe we should go explorin’ or something together, sometime.” There was always a lot to do, to care for a group. It was hard not to keep thinking of the kids as the puny bundles he’d first seen them as, even though they were growing rapidly. Perhaps Caspian was ready to start helping with things until he was old enough to decide his own future.

The follow up though, was more difficult to answer. It seemed Caspian might’ve picked up on his sadness, for there seemed a genuine sort of concern to the question. A part of Jet was tempted to try to formulate some sort of excuse, but that didn’t seem justifiable.  

”Thinkin’. About a very close friend of mine, who’s not here anymore. Wondering where she went, what happened. I miss her,” he offered truthfully, a note of sadness to the last bit of the confession. As he’d come to learn, sometimes it was alright to show emotions. To express, and share them; they didn’t have to be locked away. If there were any examples he hoped he could try to display for the kids or anyone, that was one of them.

Cas nodded and smiled at the suggestion, his eyes shining eagerly in the darkness for a moment. The idea of going exploring with Jethro was exciting, of course! But not tonight, that was for another day.

After a moment, Jethro went on. The boy settled down a bit then, looking down at his paws as he listened. It was a lot to think about, but he knew that the dark man must be quite sad. The youth's green eyes lifted up to search the other's gaze, hoping to understand a little better.

There were times he thought about loss, in different ways. He didn't know why, because he had all the world and hadn't ever lost more than a game to his brother. He usually tried to make light of it, but deep down he knew it was something real, and his young mind had never really been able to fully grasp or let go of the sinking, haunting feeling that kept him awake sometimes. That everything was more fragile and tenuous than everyone let on. It seemed everyone lost something eventually.

"sorry," he offered, knowing it wasn't much. A puff of fog rose with each word. "I bet she misses you lots too," Cas knew he'd miss anybody he lost.  

Caspian listened to his answer about Nori attentively, his own vibrant green eyes locked on Jet’s, though the dark one could only guess what sort of thoughts must’ve been going through the kid’s mind. There was an apology offered, though, and then an attempt at consolation. Though he didn’t know if Nori truly missed him, assuming she was alive - since she hadn’t been bothered to return or send word after all this time, he would not trouble Caspian with that.

A soft smile and a nod were what he offered instead. ”Thank ya. That means a lot,” Jet offered sincerely. ”But don’t ya feel too sorry for me. Not when I’ve got all of you here now to take care of me. I care about you and everyone else just as much. This group is and will always be my first priority,” the dark one tacked on, because this group and the bond they had was important, too.

More important than anything else, even thoughts about lost friends. ”So if you ever think ya need help or want someone to talk to that’s maybe not your ma, I’m here for you, too.” He hadn’t quite meant for things to get this personal, but, the opportunity was there, and Jet imagined he’d regret letting it slip by.

The boy gave a tilt of his head, listening attentively to Jethro as he gave his thanks and went on. Caspian didn't really feel he'd done much, but as he listened, the cold seemed to evaporate just a bit from his frame.

He hadn't spent as much time around the man as Ryder had, but a new friend, another point of support for their little family to include and rely upon in turn, all of that he understood on an instinctual level. They were gonna be a pack, and that meant they could turn to each other and help each other. And Jet was gonna lead them.

"Okay," he responded slowly at first, nodding in turn. He knew what Jet was doing for him, for all of them meant a lot. "Maybe, we could explore around here soon," he still really didn't know what to call their new home, their new group, but he wanted to get to know all of it.

"Or maybe," he hesitated, "we could go huntin'?" ever since his early encounters with the muskrat at @Ryder 's side, and especially since hearing Colette's tales of demons, Caspian had been wanting to learn how to take on such a challenge. Only he didn't really know how to go about it.

Okay, Caspian offered with a nod. And with that confirmation, Jethro was more than content to let that topic rest at that, in favor of the much more fun and practical stuff. Like exploring.

It was his turn to nod at the suggestion Caspian made. ”We could, whenever you want,” Jethro conceded, tipping his head curiously then at the next suggestion. Hunting, the kid spoke. He couldn’t help but smile at Caspian’s eagerness to partake in these things. And again, the dark one offered a contemplative nod. ”We could do that, too.”

An idea springing to mind, Jethro stood in one, quick motion, giving his body a thorough shake to rid it of excess snow. ”Or maybe.. we could do a lil’ of both at the same time. C’mon,” he spoke, indicating with a flick of an ear for Caspian to follow as he turned to plow forth through the snow again, heading further away from their little home. ”Let me show ya something.”

They moved on, from the serious subject to lighter ones. Caspian wondered if it ever got easier to talk about that other kind of stuff.

But a smile quickly grew in place of the boy's contemplative expression. It would be really cool to get to go hunting and exploring. He'd be on his best behavior, to make mom and Ry and Jethro and everyone proud. "For real?"

It was his turn to be surprised when Jethro stood suddenly and beckoned him to join him, right here and now. The pale boy stepped back as the large man sent a shower of snow from his pelt

He glanced back for a moment, hesitating. Would it be okay to go off without letting his ma know? She was a stickler about politeness. But he'd be with Jethro, and he'd been of on his own so many times before. This felt a little different because it was dark, and they were at their new home now, a place he didn't know well like the lakeshore he'd grown up exploring. It would be bad if he got lost, or wandered off, but with Jethro there he was sure he'd be okay. And he didn't think he could stand it if he didn't get to see whatever this something was, now.

And so on he hurried on, tail giving a decisive wave as he made up his mind, following after in the trail blazed by the shadowy older wolf.
" 'Kay!" Cas had to make his way in small leaps and bounds to keep up in Jet's wake, but he'd be damned if he slowed down the adventure!