Sanguine Cove they say look but don't touch

For @Galen only.

Things just sucked. This was apparently how life was, wolves always getting hurt or killed off when you turned your back. It had been difficult for her to empathize with grief before but this particularly loss changed that. Magg liked Sephrina. She had wanted to show her so many things up here, to help her feel free and then she'd chased after @Adora instead and the next thing the young Eastfall knew...

So this time, she moped. Magg took naps, brooded along the lake's still-frozen shore, and even had lost some of her appetite. It gave her a lot of time to think, about this most recent loss, about those in the past, about the scars on her own face and how much more deeply those claws could have sunk...

The sun began to sink, and Magg heaved herself up onto her paws, stretching her spine before setting out for the night. She purposefully followed after Galen's trail, something very much on her mind.

He hadn't mentioned the notion to anyone before other than perhaps Magg, but Galen was more than convinced they were cursed after tragedy once more struck the Cove wolves. Yes, it was true that the inky girl hadn't been one of them, per se, but the impact of her untimely demise felt as though she might as well have been. The young Vuesain boy was definitely traumatized enough by the event that his moonlight excursions to the lakeside became less frequent. The lingering metallic scent of blood in the air, the hole in the ice, and the splashes of crimson that stained the snow for some time after the incident left the formerly positive retreat feeling tainted. Haunted.

Now the boy found himself escaping more into the depths of the pines that consumed their mountainous abode, seeking solace amongst the mossy snow-covered rocks and looming trees that seemed like silent guardians watching over those below, but where had they been when Sephrina needed them most?

Galen paused in his aimless pacing amongst the pines once a swarthy ear picked up on the sound of intent paw steps echoing behind him, head swiveling over a dark-clad shoulder to focus his golden gaze on a familiar silhouette in the darkness. Determination could be seen faintly upon her facial features which had grown thin a smidge since the accident, curiosity causing his own paws to halt in place and half curl his body toward her to allow Magg to reach him. If there was anyone who took the whole ordeal rather hard it had been her.

They seemed to notice one another at about the same time, Magg picking up her pace as Galen slowed to silently welcome her. It was a familiar, effortless thing to fall into step with her oldest friend. In way of greeting she leaned her shoulder into his briefly while almond eyes watched the forest around them. For a bit, she was fine with it being quiet, for just being grateful it hadn't been him under the ice. It also reminded her, though, that this was how close she could have gotten with Sephrina too. All that wiped away before she'd even reached a year of living.

"We gotta make a pact, okay?"

Brown eyes went to his dark features along with the words, an unusual somberness in the young girl's gaze. What point was there in beating around the bush? Galen was grappling with what had happened too. They both knew the elephant was there, and knew that each other knew, without it having to be named.

The brief pressure of her weight leaning in against his shoulder in greeting was returned with a gentle press of his nose against the base of her ear while her focus remained on the path ahead. There was a familiar silence that clung to the air between them in the darkness, but not once did an ounce of awkwardness become of it. Much like his tawny friend Galen found himself grateful that it hadn't been her drenched corpse that had been pulled out of the ice nor that of their siblings who also sported a blackened coat.

His ear closest to Magg swiveled in her direction once her voice managed to shatter the silence before shifting his golden gaze to lock onto the oddly somber expression within her own brown eyes. He hadn't needed to utter a word and yet Magg knew the turmoil he was struggling with as if he had shouted it from the top of his lungs. Such was the unique way of their friendship.

"I agree."

He had uttered nothing more than a couple of words, but those few words spoke volumes only she would understand. A heavy sigh he hadn't realized he had been holding for most of the night finally released itself, knowing very well the elephant that was lurking about for it weighed so heavily upon his shoulders. Enough so he found himself leaning his own weight into hers now.

With that confirmation, Magg slowed until her strides drew to a close. She set her own weight into Galen in return and rested her temple against his jaw, appreciating the comfort he provided a few moments more before pulling away entirely. The young Eastfall angled herself to face her friend head on, a fiery determination in her almond-shell eyes.

"We are not going to get ourselves killed," she began, tail sweeping back and forth at her wolfish heels not with glee but energy. It wasn't adrenaline, but it had a similar electricity, the way she felt when her convictions were so strong. These times were rare, for the young girl lived most waking seconds of her life utterly torn with indecision.

"We're going to make it, not matter what comes our way. And... we're always going to have each other's back."

Right?

(This post was last modified: Mar 12, 2023, 01:36 PM by Magg.)

Eventually the tandem of their steps would gradually slow until both teens came to a full halt, absorbing whatever level of comfort they needed in that moment from the weight of one another before a whole new energy level consumed Magg as she shifted to face him head on. Had Galen not been so in tuned with the ways of his friend he may have easily fell victim into believing it was indeed excitement that radiated from her very core now, but alas he knew her better than that.

The first declared statement that spewed from her mouth almost had the swarthy boy choking on a scoff that threatened to vocalize itself. If there was one thing he knew for sure, dying was definitely not on his bucket list of go dos and wasn't that a pretty obvious conclusion?

Regardless, Galen paid a close ear to what Magg had to say in regards to this newly formed pact they were on the verge of creating, nodding his head solemnly in agreement. Beyond the familial bonds formed since birth the young Eastfall girl was probably one of the notable few capable of forming a bond as strong as family without the actual blood tie with him. There wasn't a bone in his body that wasn't ready to either get into trouble with or jump to protect his friends and recent events only solidified that fact.

"Having to put my dad in the earth was tough enough. I don't want to ever have to put you in the ground either or vise versa." Galen firmly stated with an equally firm nod of his head, her fiery energy infectious enough to begin kindling a flame of his own behind his golden gaze. "I promise to always have your back." And he would be damned if something tried to make him a liar and try to break such a heartfelt promise.

Magg was indeed very serious about each and every word. For her own sanity, to maintain the bravery needed to keep living life despite its dangers, she had to believe that these things had been within someone's control. Aleister shouldn't have tried to take on the mountain cat alone, Sephrina should have never snuck off to the shore, and each of the children that had gotten lost this winter, Gale included, had admitted it'd been their own doing. If they danced around these mistakes, they could stay safe, and stay together.

Hearing his confirmation was also important. She found she'd held her breath, and let it out now with a small smile just wide enough to allow her long-teeth to poke through. Magg was a lucky wolf in many ways, and did not always recognize it. This moment, however, she was properly grateful for. With a nod of her muzzle, she signaled that she had gotten what she'd wanted from this little formality. If Galen didn't have any more terms to add, they could transition to far less sobering topics.

(This post was last modified: Apr 18, 2023, 12:46 AM by Magg.)

A single nod of her muzzle had silently indicated to Galen that his spoken truth and promise had fulfilled whatever internal desire the Eastfall girl needed to hear. Ebony haunches lowered themselves to uptake a seated position, his golden gaze drifting for a moment from the energetic presence of his friend to the navy blanketed night sky above where rays of moonlight managed to illuminate his shadowy face in the darkness. Had this all been one horrid nightmare that could have been avoided? Once more a heavy sigh racked the young boy's sides, content for now much like Magg to let the torturous thoughts of what had occurred in their home to pass and allow space for more lighthearted topics to reign over the remainder of their night walk.

There was something that Galen had been curious about. He wondered if it would be in poor taste to ask though.

"What was it like over there?" He finally spoke, voice curious to know. Like the others he had been given the opportunity to visit the Backwater abode for the exchange yet guilt that still gnawed; less heavily now, within his chest in regards to his winter escapade kept him home bound instead.

When he reclined, so did she, perfectly content to sit and chat so long as Galen was too. Every now and then there'd be a muffled thump as her heavy tail lifted and then dropped to the ground, a lazy but content wag. Then he sighed like that, and she found herself frowning, wondering if maybe there was more he needed to say about the... less sunny parts of their lives. Instead, he lead the way for what should have been a lighter topic.

Promptly her eyes light up and a toothy smile lifted her features, but then she remembered and she deflated.

"... Seph was the best part," she murmured, giving him the truth before launching in what didn't matter as much. Her ears lifted and she seemed unaffected again once she moved on.

"It was muddy, like way too muddy even with everything all frozen. Doubt we'll be going back there anyway so," she shrugged, smiled, "you didn't really miss out."

For a moment there was a spark of light that filled Magg's gaze and even went far enough to lighten her facial features, the corner of her inky lips tugging back enough to reveal a toothy smile Galen was glad to see. He had hoped his curiosity would be rewarded with something positive and for a moment it had. Alas, as swiftly as the girls expression lifted it was quickly returned to a more deflated state.

"... Seph was the best part,"

She had admitted and for a split second the young boy's ears splayed back in guilt at having seemingly added salt to the gaping wound, but Magg being exactly the type of girl she was was quick to rebound and erase all signs of emotions that etched themselves on her maw. As her ears lifted so did Galen's, gaze wandering back to the face of his friend as she went on to explain what it was like over yonder. Apparently it had been a rather muddy and frozen place, his imagination conjuring up a picture bad enough to send chills along his spine and contort his features.

"Gross. But I did miss you." He gave his pelt a small shake before leaning over to offer Magg a playful nudge in the shoulder, an equally playful grin slowly spreading across his face as he rose to his paws and began to take a couple steps forward, foreshadowing his intentions for the remainder of the night to help put their minds back at ease before speaking up. "Its not as fun going on adventures around here without you."