Wildflower Glade It was mine too

For @Aquene set 7/25 midmorning

The journey had been long, but so far they had managed to avoid anything too terrible, and Nash hoped they mind find somewhere soon. They weren't quite as far away from the Backwater as he wanted to be, but he supposed the closer they were the more likely they were to find @Eclypse before they grew too distant from the mountain.

The mountain that was beginning to fade on the horizon. He'd travelled far... but he didn't know that he'd ever been this far. He felt bereft, and yet a sense of lightness he hadn't had in a long time. He was looking forward to their new start somewhere else, somewhere new, and he wanted it to be a new start for everybody. He had some thoughts, and he needed to talk to Aquene. He'd been trying to stay closer to her as they traveled, but his position meant he still needed to roam to keep an eye for threats so they hadn't had a chance to talk privately since their descent.

Rather than call for her and risk the others drifting closer to check in, Nash began searching for her. He spotted a glade dappled with flowers and thought there! He spotted his youngest's ears peeping above the taller flowers, weaving about as she played some sort of game. He smiled. Even if his wife wasn't here right now, she wouldn't be far behind Sam.

Sam was having so much fun, seeing new things and playing in new places, and so far <i>this</i> place was her favorite! There were so many fun colors and she could still completely hide by ducking down into the tallest patches of flowers and grass. She giggled, wiggling about, and decided the grass felt so good under her paws she would roll in it. She flopped over, twisting and writhing on her back, snorting giggles escaping her as her legs flailed in the air. She batted at petals set adrift by her activities but didn't care that she missed almost all of them.

She knew her parents had to be around somewhere; they hadn't let her stray far, and as long as they let her keep exploring she didn't see any reason to try and escape their watch. She was having fun, they were assured her safety, it was a win-win for everybody!

So as she bounced through the flowers, snapping at bent stems and wriggling through thick leaves, she hardly paid her father a glance when he arrived on the edge of the glade, determined to continue enjoying her morning.

Aquene had only ever made one journey like this in her life… it was while she had been alone, and it had brought her to the mountain that had caused their family so much pain. She had never left from there… first, pregnant with Kateri, and then filled with purpose at the Cove to keep others safe… a purpose she had failed at more than once… repeatedly. She had begun to am, aware of her surroundings if only so she could keep an eye on Sam… even as the pup grew, she found herself more and more terrified that a hawk would swoop down and take her just as she had taken her sister.

Still, she had learned to keep distance a little more, if only to give her daughter the illusion of freedom.

Her eyes would remained peered on her from a couple dozen feet away, partially obscured by the treeline that would lead back into the thicket deep.

When she saw Nash, she’d offer a small woof, which would make them both alert to her presence along the edge, a constant guardian over her youngest, and likely last, child.

Aquene Slayer

Ah, there she was. Nash offered his own small woof even as he turned his paws her direction and crossed the glade to join her at the edge of the trees, sitting at her side and watching Sam frolic in the flowers. A small smile graced is face, watching her play so freely. "If only we all still shared in the free joy of puppyhood," he said quietly, voice only for his wife. He did not want to disturb his daughter's play, especially since he'd come to talk business.

Nash glanced over and placed an affectionate kiss to Aquene's crown, grooming her head and ears for a moment before huffing out a tired sigh and gently pressing his side against hers. "We must be getting close," he said. He didn't know where they would be settling, but he knew they couldn't be too far away anymore.

A faint, albeit distant, smile found her features as Nash offered a woof back. There was a comfort in his presence… a comfort in being of the mountain and seeing them all safe. She still worried for Leo’s health, but she had been diligent in checking in on him as well as to ensure he remained in good spirits and managed with his still-recovering injuries. She was most worried about an emerging infection, but she was fairly certain the window had passed and she’d been successful in nipping any infection in the bud. “I hope she can hold onto it… that the worst is behind us.” To be honest, it needed to be. She wasn’t certain she could take much more pain.

Even if she had failed everyone else… if she could just succeed with Jessamy, then perhaps she’d feel content when she met her final end. “I hope so.” She admitted softly to him as she leaned her head against his form beside her. “Hopefully the more distance we have from the mountain, the better our fortune will be.”

Aquene Slayer

Aquene returned his greeting, her smile bringing him some level of comfort. She was finally coming out of the fugue state she'd withdrawn to upon Sari's death, though she was nowhere near as bright as she had been before. Nash wasn't sure she ever would be again; he wasn't sure he ever would be again. But they were together and they'd escaped the mountain with most of their family, and that's what he needed to focus on.

And what he needed to talk to her about. He murmured agreement with her statement, still watching their youngest roll around the meadow.

"I've been thinking about ranks," he said, shooting her a glance. "I'm tired of leading alone... do you think you're up to taking the mantle again?"

Jessamy was aware of her parents talking at the edge of the meadow and for a moment she turned to look at them, ears alert and tail waving over her back, waiting to see if they called her to their sides to continue travelling, or stay out of the open, or whatever other silly thing they wanted to try making her do, but they didn't. They simply sat there, talking softly to each other, and Sam's mouth fell open into a gaping smile. She thought about going to tease one of them into playing with her, but she thought dad looked serious and decided against it.

Instead she turned and continued her circuitous loping throughout the flowers. A soft buzzing caught her attention and she drew to a stop, location the source of the sound: a small honey bee crawling around on a flower. She sniffed gently at it, jumping back with a gleeful yap as it took off, lazily drifting to the next flower. She followed, curious, and simply watched the bee go about its day.

Her eyes did not leave their daughter as Nash began to speak, leaning gently against her. It felt like something of weight off her chest to be away from the harrowing cliffs… she’d noted less birds in the region… at least, less hawks who might try and scoop Jessamy off her paws. It was an undeniable feeling in her gut, even if she continued to grow to the point where no bird would merely be able to carry her off like that.

I’m tired of leading alone. It was that line that would cause her gaze to drift to him, scanning his features to determine whether or not he genuinely wanted her by his side… she was well aware she hadn’t exactly been an ideal candidate of late, but a gentle smile pulled at the corners of her maw.

“Of course.” She answered, simply as if it was a response he should have expected. “I always have been… when not over encumbered by the various injuries the mountain has brought.” She answered again, though there was a small voice in the back of her head screaming at her for lying. It wasn’t the full truth, but it was truth enough… and she could do this.

Aquene Slayer

Like his wife, Nash watched his daughter play, bounding from one fixation to the next, all within the bounds of the meadow. She bounded through the flowers and his heart softened as she did. He wondered if he'd ever had such childlike wonder for the world; he couldn't remember, and he couldn't ask his mother. He couldn't even ask his brother. He felt a little guilty for the way he'd delivered the news to @Chan but he didn't know that he would have done things different. But that wasn't important right now.

He glanced at Aquene as she spoke and his brows rose slightly, ears flicking in mild surprise. "It's okay if you aren't," he said gently. It had been her to choose to step down, after all. If she wasn't ready to take the lead with him again, that was alright with him. "I would like your input on pack ranks, regardless. I may have mentioned before, but I feel we should lift Magg's punishment. A new pack, a new start for everybody." He'd made the decision on the punishment alone, he didn't want to make this particular decision alone too.

Aquene only vaguely remembered what it was like to have such innocence… then again, she’d be able to hold onto hers longer than most of her children had been permitted to. There was a gentle sense of bitterness as she thought about it, a frown forming on her features. She wished it could have been easier for them all. Perhaps they should have moved from the mountain the moment Aleister had died… or perhaps they should have never settled there at all. It was difficult to think about all of the wolves buried there. Friends and family.

She raise a brow at him as her head turned to him, his gentle voice bringing about a light flick of her ears in mild agitation. “I wouldn’t say I was if I weren’t ready.” She’d been through much, but in the grand scheme she didn’t see it to be more than he or anyone else. Even the loss of Sari had weighed on everyone heavily, not just her… or perhaps she merely pushed it all down in an attempt to pretend as if it hadn’t happened.

At the mention of Magg, she considered for a moment, her gaze flicking back to Jessamy frolicking in the flowers. “Her punishment was a Sanguine Cove punishment… but that is no longer what we are. It’s only fair that her punishment be lifted.”

Aquene Slayer