Sanguine Cove I'll Dream of You [M]

M for Grief </3 Backed 02/02/2024

Quote:He shouldn't be surprised that they were coming more often now. It was the thick of winter and if they'd strayed up the mountain on their own... well, he would want someplace to rest too.

The man didn't sniff around the bush and immediately got to business, speaking his mother's name before his own.

Nash's ears involuntarily dropped. "Come in," he said. "There's someone you should talk to."


Accepted

The man was void of emotions, haunched awkwardly into a submissive stance as he awaited the dark man's reply. His eyes respectfully cast down towards ebony paws. He wasn't left in silence for long. The stranger didn't request his name, his odd response drawing richly golden eyes up. They narrowed, his eyebrows furrowing, this didn't seem customary. He cast a wary glance around the trees before crossing the border. Why would he need to talk to someone...unless this wasn't the leader? Reality was failing to dawn on the young male, the shift in demeanor of the other wolf gone unnoticed. All he could think about was how odd this scenario was, and if he should be waltzing in. His mother had been raised by cannibals after all.

Nash didn't miss the newcomer's shift in posture as he turned and internally scolded himself for being so cryptic. Even so, he didn't know if he should explain, or if he should let @Moonshadow do the talking. She'd been the one close to Tulip, after all, even though Nash and Eclypse had been the ones to bury her.

He gave Creed an apologetic look. "My mother knew Tulip," he said, "and she would love to talk to you." He hoped that was enough of an answer to abate the man's nerves. He'd just arrived, after all, and here Nash was with answers and yet not giving any. He felt a little bad; he didn't know how he'd feel if he showed up looking for his mom only to find out she'd recently died.

The male crossed the border with his ears drawn back, tensely following. His weary glances from side to side were unceasing until the man spoke again. Creed's mouth felt dry, his heart hammered in his chest, the wolf faltering in his steps. His tail fell limply between his legs. Mom wasn't that old... He thought, looking away to hide the pained expression forming on his face. "K-knew?" He managed to croak the question out. Blood rushed into his ears. His heart seemed to fall into his stomach, like a stone cast into deep waters. Plummeting down so that he felt heavy.

<b>"If your mother..."</b> This couldn't be it, could it? The pack they'd been trying to find for so long... Tears lined the man's eyes and he could not bring himself to face the stranger. He didn't want to be weak in front of others and despised his vulnerability. <b>"Is this Fallen Tree Cove?"</b> The pieces seemed to be falling in place...just not in the way he'd imagined they would. How was he going to tell Iris?

The man's shakiness was not lost on Nash, who internally winced. There was no way around this, he thought; he was going to have to give the news himself and hope his mother could help calm Creed better than he might. Nash glanced at him, trying to hide the pity in his eyes. "Fallen Tree Cove was around the other side of the lake. I was born there, but we resettled here to form Sanguine Cove." Tulip was there, he didn't add, not yet. He didn't mean to be cruel to the kid, and maybe it would be kinder to just come out with it and say the words. He swallowed, forced himself to stop and fully look at their newest member. "Tulip... found her way here, for a while, and then she found her way back there. My daughter and I buried her." He didn't know how else to deliver this, hoped his voice was gentle enough. He tried not to think about how he would deliver this same news to his own brother.

Oh how time raced onward.