Bramble Falls and days continue

The large beast's jaws opened in a rumbling yawn, his eyes blinking tiredly as they focused upon the rushing water of the falls. It was early morning -- the sun had only risen but an hour before, and with it's light nature around him had awoken. Stretching leisurely, the rogue felt the empty spot at his side, noting that Ranger, his dark companion, must have been off to start her day. He knew she was restless, yet the need to settle had only just begun to pull at him, and every territory he, Ranger and Kinis entered, the tawny male fiound himself scrutinizing potential pack dens.

Ushering a small snort, Ruiko pushed himself to his paws. Closing the distance between himself and the edge of water, the Tainn male bent his muzzle down to satiate his thirst. The cool water eased the burn of his throat, and as the regal wolf lifted his muzzle to glance about, he could already feel the warmth of the sun despite the cool spring air.

<3

Gone Tomorrow

The she-wolf's side had grown cold that morning, and when she lifted her head to look around, she noted with dismay that her mate had already left. The leader of Swift River had seemed distracted lately, and Corinna figured that it probably had to do with Borlla's outburst of the meeting. What had transpired between the two after had remained a mystery, the tawny coated male had not felt the need to tell her. Which was alright, it was none of her business, but...she preferred him the way he had been: happy and carefree.

Needing to get away from the gloom that had fallen over Swift River during the aftershock of her announcement, the alpha female hoisted herself up. So far, she was still slim in figure, though the closer she got to her due date, the more different that would become. Her hormones were already taking their toll, and Cori found herself snapping irritably at her pack mates for minor things that she would have looked over in her pre-pregnancy days. But her energy was still untouched, and she maneuvered her way out of the den and into the dim of the early morning.

Setting off, Cori headed into the darkness. The sun had yet to rise, but it would soon. Her direction of travel was a random one, she had no real destination in mind. But as the hour passed by, and the world began to see the first rays of light as the sun rose, she recognized that her paws were carrying her out of Swift River territory and towards Bramble Falls. Oddly, this was one place that Cori was not so sure that she had visited before, and so she began to look forward eagerly for the relaxation that being by the flowing water would bring her.

Eventually, the sounds of water flowing entered her ears, and she grinned, picking up her pace. The morning was quiet, and she was content to not disturb the world around her with a haphazard vociferate. Closing the distance between herself and the falls, she moved through the trees, coming to a halt only as soon as the pool came to view and she realized that she was not the only one searching for a quiet drink this early in the morning. Regaining mobility, she moved forward enough so that the other wanderer would see her. "Hello, Ruiko."

Droplets of water fell from the wet chin of the male, pelting at the light cream of his paws as the large rogue settled back to his haunches. The sun had only risen and already the tawny wolf felt a stir of anxiousness blanket him -- the desire to seek out Ranger and coax her in to a day of exploration was great, but he willed the urge away, knowing the two could benefit from a few hours from each others side. His dark companion sought the solace of a new home, and shared his need to build a pack of their own. Ranger's urge had formed from her natural instincts -- he knew the she-wolf was eager to be a mother, and it had been hard for him to deny her such a thing this season, if only because he had ached for her. But Ruiko was more calculating in their plans, and knew they could not rush such things.

It had been awhile since he had visited the Falls, though the area had been a common haunt for him before. As time gently slipped past, the tawny wolf remained as still as a statue, only the smallest of spring breezes slipping past his pelt. The cascade of water was a soothing sound to the male, and while his thoughts were occupying him to a state of casual aloofness, Ruiko did hear and scent the approach of another. Unalarmed, as the smell of the wolf was mixed with the scent of his family, the regal lone wolf cast his bright eyes up. His gaze fell upon the delicate form of Corinna, and the briefest flicker of amusement tugged at his lips as she greeted him. Here stood the female that had stirred his brother's libido in to the need to dominate once more. He had liked the slender female from their first brief meeting, and from that could understand Indru's desire to take leadership of the pack once more, if only for the right to breed.

"Corinna," he returned, his muzzle dipping down lightly in a cordial greeting. Ruiko's greeting was not unwelcoming to the River wolf, but he was also not a male to wear his emotions on his features. "You and Swift River are well, I presume?" Assumptions were dangerous things, but had anything happened to his family Ruiko believed he would have heard about it.

Gone Tomorrow

Oh, how had times changed? Green eyes watched Ruiko curiously, but her mind was a thousand miles away, racing down memory lane. Ironically, she and the giant Tainn male had met at the same place she and Indru had, but Ruiko's demeanor had not been particularly inviting and she had not traveled with him back to Swift River. Their second meeting at been at her acceptance into Swift River, and unfortunately, it had been their last meeting. Indru's protectiveness over her and the nearness of breeding season had pushed him to challenged Ruiko, and the two brothers had it out. Even now, so many months later, the creme female could not forget the way their growls had penetrated her soul and the fierce glints in their eyes as they fought for leadership. She had turned tail and run into the forest of her new home, and had only found out later who had emerged victorious. It had not been a particularly graceful moment in their relationship, and as she approached him, Corinna could only hope that the younger Tainn brother had forgiven her for the part she had unwillingly played in his loss of title and home.

His poker face was not something that Corinna had forgotten, so she took his dip of the head as a sign of friendship, and she returned it with her own, tail wagging briefly at her ankles to show her pleasure at running across him. "We are indeed. Very few familiar faces though, most who were there have moved on. But, we are doing well. And you? I hope that you have been well," her voice was almost hopeful. She liked Ruiko, even though he was so much different from his brother. "There is some news though," she said after a moment, pausing to take a deep breath. It would be a good idea to tell him, wouldn't it? "Indru and I are mates now, and we are expecting. You're going to be an Uncle."

If the tawny wolf had known her better, he would have realized how hesitant she was to greet him because of their last meeting. That day was nothing Ruiko had regretted – his annoyance for his brother at stripping him of the land that he had stayed behind to tend to still lingered from time to time, but it had always been known between the two that neither would be content to submit to anyone.. not even their best friend and brother. Ruiko would have accepted the slender she-wolf contently in to Swift River, but Indru had clearly become fond over her. They hadn’t fought for leadership that day.. they had fought for breeding rights, even though Ruiko held no interest in courting Corinna. Had Indru gone near Ranger though, as Ruiko had to the she-wolf infront of him that day, he likely would have had the same reaction to his brother.

The relaxed wag of the River wolf’s tail caused Ruiko’s own to mimic the motion briefly. His companion was quick to inform him of the pack’s developments – none of which surprised him at all. “Indru will build the pack up once more,” he assured, knowing his brother was fully capable of such a task. It did seem strange to him though that familiar faces had left, and the regal rogue wondered if Damascus and Avalloc had been a few of the ones she mentioned.. especially as Ruiko would have asked them to follow him and form a new pack. Her next words were what truly stirred his interest, and a small smirk curled at the lone wolf’s mouth as he inclined his muzzle in quiet congratulations. “That is good to hear,” he murmured in response, lifting himself up to move closer to her. Bending his muzzle down, Ruiko gave the she-wolf a respectful nip to her cheek. “You are my sister now then as well.”

Gone Tomorrow

Corinna was not a huge fan of dragging up the past, because it belonged where it was. What was done was done, and there really was no going back. Ruiko and Indru could not go back on their fight now that it had passed, just like she could not go back on her mating with Indru. Such things were just not possible, so she lived her life in the present and the near future. Ruiko's demeanor, while it could be intimidating, was something the creme and gray female was used too. Had he been anybody else, she would not have been so sure that he was not angry at her for causing him a place in his pack.

Settling down on her haunches, the leader nodded her head in agreement. "Indru has done what he can, and while the familiar faces aren't there, new ones have taken their faces," she agreed, the pride she held for her loving companion clear in her voice. Catching the large male's smirk and his nod, she grinned at him, the glow of a mother-to-be evident on her facial features. She was not round yet, but that was not far off. Accepting his nip, with a nudge of her muzzle, she spoke. "Yes, indeed I am one of the many Tainn's. I'm lucky that I haven't started to grow much yet, else I'm afraid I wouldn't have been able to tell you." Casting a look down at her stomach. To tell the truth, was she really ready to be the size of a baby moose? Probably not. Looking back up, she met Ruiko's dark eyes and studied them for a moment, throwing a proposition over in her mind. Weighing the pros and cons, she finally spoke up again, her tone determined. "Ruiko, it would mean a lot to Indru and myself if you were there at the birth." While births were normally a pack event, Ruiko was Indru's brother, and her's now as well. He was a family member, regardless of what his status was. While she was aware that there was no reconciliation that would bring Ruiko and Indru back into the same pack, she failed to see the harm in having them in the same place at the same time while she was giving birth to sons and nephews.

There was a note of something in her voice as she spoke of their growing pack, though he did not know her well enough to quite put his paw on it. Reverence, perhaps? Accomplishment that the pack was thriving and well was certainly something to be proud of, and Ruiko gave a light nod in understanding to her words. He had never doubted Indru’s ability to keep Swift River as a strong pack, for his brother had originally created its existence. Indru exerted a kindness that had always been lost from Ruiko’s demeanour, and because of that he assumed Swift River would continue to grow.

She glanced down to her stomach as she spoke of becoming a mother, and Ruiko cast his own eyes curiously to her gaze. Somewhere in there was the beginning of life, though he had only ever witnessed this from his mother. The thought that Indru had lent a hand in creating the life that stirred in Corinna’s womb seemed surreal, and Ruiko finally lifted his eyes to study his brother’s mate once more. Indru had always fallen fast and hard – Feather had been the first, though Ruiko was thankful that she had disappeared before Indru had become too attached. Now, Corinna had come along and had caused enough jealousy from Indru to challenge Ruiko for his previous rank. He hadn’t even known the two had known each other until that had happened.

The silver she-wolf’s request caused a gentle blink from the tawny wolf. His shoulders lifted in a shrug; not uncaring, but unknowing. “I would love to be there as well,” he stated, knowing how important it would be to his family for him to be there and celebrate with them. “I will try my best.” But as nature went, only the pups knew when they would be born, and as much as they could try to determine the date, it was usually never accurate.

<3 Rachel & her Ruiko :D

Gone Tomorrow

For a moment, his shrug caused Cori's heart to sink with dismay. While she had only ever met Ruiko a handful of times, she respected him and enjoyed his company. He was the polar opposite to Indru, but that was perfectly acceptable in the she-wolf's eyes. The world needed wolves like Ruiko, to keep life's happenings in perspective and keep everyone else down to earth. Sometimes she let her dreams carry her further than she thought was possible, and was disappointed when things did not work out the way they seemed. He on the other hand was a realist, and for that, she could appreciate his honesty. "Thank you. I know it might be difficult, but even if you can't make it there for the birth, I fully expect you to be there when I can escape...I mean bring them out of the den," she chuckled, tail wagging at her pathetic attempt of a joke. That was one part of giving birth she was not looking forward too, being stuck in the den with the little ones for however long it took them to grow to be strong enough to leave. "I'm actually just wanting anybody with experience to be there, heh," she admitted, meeting Ruiko's golden gaze bashfully. She couldn't remember her own birth, obviously, but she had never been present at any other birthing either. She would be led by instinct alone, rather than any experience. "I never had any siblings younger than myself to be there for, to learn, and all that. So I'm hoping that I can do it, and ya know, don't mess it up. If that makes sense." She was hoping that the gruff former leader would understand her predicament. Cori did not think she would necessarily be a bad mother, so to speak, but she was inexperienced, which always made things that much harder.

A wry smirk smoothed across his lips at Corinna’s quip – she was certainly shackled with chains with the life that grew in her belly, but Ruiko knew better than to take her joke with any form of seriousness, even with the chuckle that escaped her after. The litter she bore his brother would be loved entirely, and likely doted upon. It was this thought that twinged regret in the male’s stomach at not being there for such an occasion. Times like these reminded him that playing the role of Indru’s second had not been so bad. “I will,” he promised, the two words meaning far more than any run-on sentence he could provide.

The tawny regal wolf canted his muzzle slightly at her next words, his wry smirk fading to what could be considered a sober but kind smile. Corinna it seemed was new to this experience entirely – and while the Tainn children had never bore children (Indru would be the first as far as they knew) they had witnessed several litters birth and growing. “Indru will know,” he reassured with an incline of his muzzle. “As the eldest of us all, he has saw two other litters born from our mother.” There was a small pause as Ruiko lifted his stoical shoulders in response. “He also was the one who was more included in raising them than any of us. You will both do well, Corinna.”

Leaning forward, the male nipped playfully to his sister’s ear before pulling back, giving his muzzle a light shake to her worry. He made no further comment to it – she would be amazed at how far her instincts would take her in matters like these. He fully believed that a kind soul as herself would not falter.

Gone Tomorrow

She was scared, but somehow, she didn't seem to mind if Ruiko knew. Every mother was at some point a first time mother. If she and Indru decided in the future that they wanted young again, then she would be able to carry her experience with her, but for right now, that experience wasn't available. So Cori was comforted greatly by her brother-in-law's simple statement. When she was most scared, she relied on others around her, and while she might be taking the easy way out, in reality, she wasn't. She would be the only one in the Swift River den when it was time, and it was up to her, no one else, to make sure that those pups came out of the womb healthy and alive. But as for what came after, she knew that she would not be alone. She had the strength of the Swift River pack behind her, and with every day drawing nearer to the time she was to deliver, she knew that their support strengthened.

Nodding her head, she met Ruiko's warm smile with one of her own. Cori already knew what he was telling her, it wasn't new news, but she appreciated being reminded of it all the same. "Yeah, I suppose that's true. Indru had always loved playing the father, even to his own siblings." She was referring mostly to his younger siblings, like Triell and Borlla, but to some extent, it applied to the older ones as well. Even now, she knew that her tawny furred mate was concerned for the safety and well being of Ruiko, even though the larger of the two Tainns knew full well how to take care of himself. Smiling, she nudged Ruiko's cheek with her nose as he pulled playfully on her ear, and she wagged her tail in response. He was a good guy, regardless of the stoic and cold shoulder he gave strangers.

"So have you any luck with finding a place to settle down?" After a moment of quiet, she asked the question, her voice not hiding the concern for his welfare. Life was hard as a lone wolf, that was for certain, and while Ruiko was not alone, she knew that the ultimate goal was to settle down somewhere and start his own family.