Shroud of the Lost then two, then three, then a month

for @Avesta <3

He did not stop himself from thinking about @Clouse whenever the man entered his mind. He had half an idea to go slog after him with the arrival of the spring season. All of it tickled at Loach in a way that only left him frustrated.

So he had split from the fisher place, headed further down the waterway in search of nothing. Truly. He had just felt the sudden need to be away for a moment. Anywhere that would let him sink into himself in private instead of worried that somebody might come upon him and ask a million questions.

As expected, nothing awaited him out here. Just water that flowed quick and free out here. Water that would travel the mountains further south that he had explored briefly before. Now he dared to take a step into the frigid edge of it all.

Blissfully unaware of the rest of the world in these moments.

give me love give me fendi my balenciaga daddy

Avesta had been lingering near the group, though her social skills she found could use quite a bit of work as a result. She hadn’t really gotten to know any of the band that Loach roamed with, only that they existed within her proximity. She occasionally saw them, but had never truly spoken to any of them. The woman was moving around the waterway, looking for her own meal as her stomach rumbled.

She’d hardly been able to concentrate enough to think, much less do anything productive such as hunt for food. It was the time of the year, the most frustrating time. The time that made her growl at herself in frustration and confusion. At first it was confusion as to what had gotten into everyone else in her pack, but now that she was older, and she was feeling it for herself.

She just wanted to hunt in peace… she wasn’t paying attention, not until she had nearly bumped into Loach quite literally. “Oh… hello.” Awkward… right. Like she said, her social skills needed a little more work.

He had only but a moment to stagger out of the way.

Yet he held no malice towards Avesta, as he splashed a few more steps into the water. Content to leave some semblance of personal space between them. Lest anybody get the wrong idea.

Hey, He snorted with some trace of warmth, a soft wave of his tail. Surely she could understand if he did not jump and leap at the sight of her. You holdin' up okay? Ain't a breezy time o' year for everybody.

His salted brows pinched softly. Last thing he wanted was the unsavory kind showing up just to fool around for the season and leave broken hearts or children in their trail.

give me love give me fendi my balenciaga daddy

How are you holding up? She didn’t know what the question was meant for, because she seemed to be fine… and then the confusion only continued when it came to it being a breezy time of year. “What are you talking about?” She asked, the confusion clear on her face to show that there was a lack of education that came with what it meant to be a grown woman. She’d had gone through it to some degree last season, but had always just thought it was associated with the changes in the weather.

“I mean, it’s a little breezy, but I think it’s less breezy than the winter was… less cold too.” He was acting a little funny now.

Her words struck him like a freight train. All at once he wished to hope that she maybe just didn't want to talk about the season with Ol' Loach over here. Instead she seemed confused. Like it was a surprise that the whole wilds lit up with stink at once.

It's cubbin' season, Ve. He offered a bit...gruffly. Like he wished to remove himself from this role of caretaker upon all. Not really, not truly. He just had never imagined it would be him. They don't just come from the rivers or trees, y'know. He attempted to inject a mild sense of humor.

Eyes fixed hard on the water again.

give me love give me fendi my balenciaga daddy

Cubbin season? The question tied her tongue though she couldn’t let it escape, at least not for the moment… and then he continued, and her eyes widened. Oh. Oh. She supposed she should have seen that coming but she hasn’t. How could she have? “I… guess I never realized.” She felt her mouth go dry at the thought of it. Gods, she was not cut out to be a mother, at least not yet… possibly not ever.

“My ma and pa never really told me about how we came to be, just that we had… reckon that’s why they kept the girls separate from the boys all this time.” She had to wonder, because at the very least she knew it took a girl and a boy in order to tango and create… even if the how had been a little lost on her and in some ways just was. “I… reckon I should be keeping my distance then.” She certainly didn’t want any accidents.

But then… she truly still didn’t fully understand how the pups were created. Could mere proximity do it? She didn’t particularly want to figure it out. “Is that why you’re acting so weird right now?”

Well then.

He supposed it was good that he was the one to tell her. Between his lack of interest and desire to cut right to the point, it was better she hear it from him. Instead of some sort of slime dog out there.

Just don't be lettin' any strange men too close, y'know? His tail lashed for but a moment. Mildly frustrated for the same reasons he had been when he had run into that other woman in the woods. It had little to do with the women of the season for his frustrations. He was more focused upon the man he was missing.

A stressful time o' year for me is all. I'm more focused on who we got here instead o' any cubbin'. Maybe next year, maybe never. How could he possibly know?

Ya still happy here?

A soft conversational pivot, but one that felt just as important as any cubbin' season.

give me love give me fendi my balenciaga daddy

Don’t let strange men too close? That she could do, with no problems. She didn’t like strange men to be near her even when it wasn’t cubbin’ season so she had that going for her at the very least. It was a stressful time of year for everyone involved. “I’m certainly more focused on that as well. I don’t need to become a mother.” She was barely more than a child herself, even if her age might disagree with her in that moment. She neared closer to three and yet it felt as if there was still so much that she didn’t know.

At the question of her own happiness, she hummed and nodded with a soft smile on her maw. “I am… it’s freeing.” She stated with a certainty in her voice that she seldom held. She could go out and put punk kids in their place or have her adventures and have a place that would still take her in when she returned home. She didn’t know anyone else who would do that. “Thank you… I’m not sure if I’ve ever thanked you, but thank you for letting me hang around.”

There was a selfish flare of relief at her announcement.

He would never be against one of their own wanting to be a mother but...it just didn't feel right. They already had two rogue cubbin' toddling about here ready to plunge into adulthood. Clouse had wandered off, return pending who knew when. That meant if Ve or Lana went off and got ready for motherhood, it'd be two of them handling most of the harder work.

Heavens above, he was ready for these cubbin' to become yearlings with a bit more knowledge.

You ain't gotta thank me, Ve. His voice softened slightly as he turned his orange gaze towards her. Wherever I'm at, you'll always have a place. He shrugged his shoulders softly, rolling them mildly.

Which also meant...

I'm thinkin' 'bout findin' somewhere a bit bigger. Didn't think so many would stick 'round.

give me love give me fendi my balenciaga daddy

She couldn’t imagine the stress it would put on the entire group. She remembered what it was like when the women of her pack delivered… they were useless for some time, nothing more than glorified bags of milk for their pups. She had no desire to have anyone remain that dependent on her for so much of their lives… not that she begrudged anyone that if it was what they wanted… it just was not for her.

She felt her smile grow a little more as he insisted that she didn’t need to thank him. It hadn’t taken away the feeling that she needed to any more with his words. “I can help you look for someplace bigger.” After all, it would be her home to some degree as well. “I bet we could find something maybe a little south of here?” She didn’t know for sure. She’d wait until after the itching of her heat died down before she wandered too far, if only to avoid the risk of strange men, but she was always up for the adventure.