Wild Rye Fields [M] Here's to the Fools Who Dream

For @Jessie <3

- Before Noon, Blizzard - 20 ° F/-7 ° C

No night's sleep had ever been so peaceful to the father as this last one. His daughter was home. She was safe. Sure, things were far from perfect; Her injuries had left large gaps in her memory, beyond just who had caused them. But hopefully being back in familiar surroundings would help jog it, and everything would continue to come back to her. At least she was here, with at least one pair of watchful eyes on her at all times. At first he'd been among them, scared to take his eyes off her, as if she'd vanish again in one heedless moment. Eventually fatigue had won out though, and he'd had to give over the shift, falling into blissful unconsciousness; She's home! When he woke up the girl was fast asleep, wrapped in loving attention on all sides, and he felt safe leaving for a little while. His legs were itching, after so many days of searching they were not used to inaction, and so he took to a short patrol, heading north to the Lookout, where he had stood so many times these past months, gazing out over the Lowlands. They looked no different, still covered in snow, a wide, empty expanse of white. Yet the sight seemed very different to the dark Avalon today. There was hope in the air, a breath of life he hadn't noticed before today. Finally, it seemed, spring had come to Wild Rye Fields. But that didn't mean the weather was done acting up. He was on his way back when the snows started, quickly growing so heavy that he could hardly see his paws in front of him; Spring indeed..! Even though it was inevitable, it looked like winter was not going to go down without a fight. The blizzard made it hard to tell directions even in the familiar territory, and the flurry of white was so dense that the leader almost crashed head first into a young spruce tree, seeming to pop up out of nowhere right in front of him. He'd made it to the scraggy edge woods at the western border, scattered, snow covered pines standing as blurry silhouettes in the whiteout. Drestig furrowed his brow, veering his head lightly as he tried to gaze into the snow through narrowed eyes; This wasn't the plan… He hadn't meant to come this far west. Apparently the weather had turned him even more around than he thought; This won't work..! Turning to put his rear against the wind, the elder wolf shook his shoulders in annoyance. He wanted to get back to his family, but he wasn't about to wander blindly through a snowstorm and get himself lost. So he needed to find somewhere to weather it out, easier said than done out here. But walking slowly into the trees, an odd heap of snow under a stand of pines caught his attention. Investigating further revealed a small den, filled with a stale, musky odor. Abandoned by a badger  not too long ago it would seem; Just my luck… And without further thought he crept in, curling up tight and looking out at the continuously falling snow. Hopefully it would let up soon.   Word Count: 534  Thoughts "Speech"

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(This post was last modified: Mar 26, 2017, 07:13 PM by Drestig.)

Emerald eyes snapped open with the feeling of emptiness beside her. Dresitg? The woman's eyes did a sweep of her pack den, finding her daughter first before surveying the rest of the pack. Everything had been hectic since she returned from her trip but now that Percy was home, the mother felt as if she finally had a moment to relax. It stung to know that her daughter had not return to them in right of mind, but the Tainn knew that it was better than the alternative. She knew that once she found whoever did this, she would make them pay. Jessie huffed softly, her gaze turning towards the den exit. A blizzard raged outside, making it almost impossible for anyone to see. Eyebrows furrowed in concern for her mate, knowing that it was not ideal for him, or anyone for that matter, to be out at this time. Pushing herself up onto all fours, the petite woman approached the mouth of the den and waited. Jessie knew that with this weather, it would be useless to try and find him but it did not stop her from worrying. It was in similar weather as this that she lost Hotei. Pushing that fear back into her mind, she breathed a small sigh of relief when the blizzard started to die down. It wouldn't be easy trying to get through the pack lands at this time but she needed to know if he was okay. Her nostrils flared inoluntarily, trying to pick up any scent marker of him. She pushed forward, going blind into their territory and hoping desperately to come across something. Finally, she came across a faint scent of him. Latching onto that, she followed it, jade orbs glued ahead as her nose followed the light trail. As it steadily grew stronger, she became more sure in her steps. Lifting her head, she peered around, not noticing anything different about the land around them. Where are you? Anxiety clutched at her heart as she scanned the area one last time. Ears pinned back on her head, her voice called out roughly, from lack of disuse, "Drestig?" She waited, hoping desperately for a reply.

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There is a family of deer nearby. Hunt Opportunity

Curled up tightly with his tail across his muzzle, Drestig watched the snowflakes whirl and dance outside his makeshift den. How much time passed before the storm began to die, he couldn't say, but eventually the flurry did start to abate, the howling winds quieting and leaving the snow to fall light and silent. A yawn stretched his silvered jaws as he slowly began to untangle himself, knowing that he could easily find his way home now, even if the thought of heading back out into the cold wasn't exactly tempting. As such he took his time getting ready, too long it would seem as a worried voice suddenly sounded outside. Perking his ears, the man gave a final stretch before poking his head out of the burrow, stretching up on his front legs to look over the snow. "Jessie," he called back, voice similarly hoarse. Ember eyes scanned the snow, soon finding the familiar salt and pepper fur, standing out clearly against the pale backdrop. "Over here!" Snow continued to drift lazily from the sky, having already powdered the usually dark, upper part of his lover's coat in stark white. As he watched her, one particular flake landed on the king's outstretched muzzle, with an icy kiss, prompting him to quickly withdraw it, making a disgusted face. He ducked back into the badger den, shaking his head to rid it of the snow, then peaked back out, looking for his mate's approach; "Come on down here, out of this blasted weather!" The space might be crammed, but she didn't take up that much, and he was very reluctant to venture out while it was still snowing.   Word Count: 277  Thoughts "Speech"

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Her head snapped to the side when Drestig called out her name, his voice coming from somewhere behind her. A breath of relief escaped her. He's okay. Emerald eyes narrowed as she scanned the area once more, his dark head finally popping out from a den beneath the ground, not one of their own. His hoarse voice also suggested that he had escaped the blizzard and had been resting during the time. Trotting over towards him, the falling snow seemed to bother him, for he ducked back into his shallow hole. When Jessie exhaled, a white puff of air surrounded her but she still gladly stepped forward. Had they been back in Oak Tree Bend, Jessie would have completely avoided this interaction, especially with the closeness it would ensue, but she loved him and would not deprive them of being near one another, especially since her trip had been extended longer than she would have liked. When she entered the den, it was clear that there was not that much room for them to manuver, but the Tainn happily fit herself right at Drestig's side, her small body pressed firmly against his. With a soft sigh, jade eyes peered over at him before looking back out at the snow that was lightly falling from the sky. "You know," she started softly, "I really like the snow. It reminds me of where I grew up." She wouldn't dare call it home, because home was where she was then. The memories she had of where she grew up were only dark reminders of others she had lost. It was a great relief when Percy returned, even if she didn't remember.

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He smiled warmly as she appeared in the narrow den opening, her breath farming white clouds in the cold air. She slipped in contently, curling up by his side, and he couldn't help the tightening of his chest as he felt her fur press against his. He had missed her desperately while she was away, especially after Percy disappeared. Then when she finally returned, they'd both worked so hard, searching for their only daughter. Now finally they could rest, and he had time to truly enjoy his mate's company. Leaning forwards, he kissed her snow-dusted head, before pulling back to meet her eyes. "Oh?" He answered her softly, surprised by the choice of topic; "You've never spoken much of your time before Swift River." He left the statement open, giving her the chance to decide whether she wanted to continue or not. While he waited, he gently started licking more of the snow from her crown, humming softly. It wasn't like he had shared that much of his past with her either, present and future had always been his focus, and simply being together was enough to him. But that wasn't to say he wasn't curious about her childhood, though he had a feeling it was not much rosier than his own.   Word Count: 212  Thoughts "Speech"

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Every place he touched her set her aflame, but she remained still, basking in his presence while they had a moment alone. Drestig did not inquire any further about her past but she felt as if he deserved to know. Jessie remained silent for some time, however, gathering her thoughts and turning away from him, allowing his caresses to continue. Just because I want to open up to you doesn't make it easy. With a soft sigh, she spoke, voice low, "I had an older sister that I was very close to. She and I did everything together since the moment I was born but then one day she found a mate and left." Her tail lashed behind her with her words. Her sister always left. "I remained in my homelands and my mother and one of my friends, Brenton, stayed with me because I was so upset over Cali leaving. I was too young at the time to do anything about it, but after a year passed our mother passed away and I felt obligated to tell her what happened..." She paused for a few moments, emerald eyes glaring at the wall of the den. Her voice was calm when she spoke, but there was an underlying bitterness to it, "So I tracked her here, through common connections along the way, and I eventually found her in Swift River. And that's why I came here. I didn't plan on staying but then I met so many others who I felt could be family to me...and then I fell in love. But...you know how that story ends." She turned to face him, peering up at his eyes. Reaching forward, she placed a soft kiss upon his cheek and whispered softly in his ear, "And now I have you."

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He recognized the hesitation on her face, feeling the light stiffening of her muscles under his touch. Intimacy had always been hard for her, even after they became mates. So he didn't push her, pulling back a little when she turned away, and then quietly continued to groom the back of her head and neck. His ears were perked as he listened silently to her story, eyes closed, feeling the words vibrate through her body. He'd heard Cali mentioned in passing, but the details of how the sisters had ended up in the Lore were all new to him. It wasn't as grim a tale as he had feared, but still he sensed the spite in her voice, pushing his nose into the fur between her tense shoulders soothingly. Her scent was intoxicating, it had been too long since last time it filled his nose, and its familiar spice was mixed with the special intensity of the season. When she shifted again he pulled back with a reluctant grunt, turning his head to meet her eyes intently. Several elements of her story rang familiar with the dark man, a sad smile playing at the edges of his lips as he looked down at her. But her final addition warmed his heart, turning the smile tender as he leaned into her caress. "And I have you," he whispered back, briefly touching his nose to hers. Falling in love was a strange thing. He'd thought Silver was the one, had loved her dearly. But this, this was so different, not as wild and yet so much more intense. Jessie had become family to him, even before they left Oak Tree Bend. She'd been with him through the hardest part of his life, given him strength when he was ready to give up; What would I do without you? Her account had made him think of his own past, a part of his memory her otherwise preferred to avoid. And now it was his turn to look away, shifting his eyes to the still falling snow as he tried to get his mind back in order. He'd always found it difficult to face bad memories, so much so that he had repressed his confrontation with Galley, until Oliver showed up at the Bend and forced him to remember. And that wasn't the only time he'd lost control; After Silver… He gritted his teeth. They'd done what needed to be done, but it hadn't been healthy for him, as proven when that boy showed up in the palisade those months back. Drestig shook his head lightly, looking back to his partner with another melancholic smile. "You know, I lost my family when I was very young," he started softly, meeting her eyes as he continued: "One rainstorm destroying the entire clan over night, leaving me all alone. I was the last of my name…" Or he had been, until they had Percy. Leaning forwards, he drew his snout along her jaw line, to rest in the crook under her ear. "I'm so glad you're both home," he whispered.   Word Count: 514  Thoughts "Speech"

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He chose only to comment on her last words and for that she was grateful. Emerld eyes stared into amber ones, love shining brightly in both. It was a deep shock to the petite woman when he pulled away. It was rare that he would pull away from her, Jessie usually being the distant one. She did not push him though, sensing that there was something that he wanted to share. The grey woman did not dare touch him, with fear of driving away whatever part of him he desired to share with him today. Similarly, she did not know much about him before he came to the lore. When they had first met he was simply someone she had to deal with because it was her job and she would do it for the benefit of the pack. After everything that happened, he became so much more. Ears perked forward when he spoke, his tale much shorter than hers but holding no less weight. It was sad, that he had no one left, except them. Jessie was glad that she could give him that, a family, something he wanted for a long time now, she assumed. He final words tugged at her heart, knowing that some of the reasons she were gone for so long were because she wanted to get away from him. The pepper-and-salt colored Queen would not tell him that though, not wanting to upset him nor start another fight between them. Instead, she smiled and responded softly, "I'm glad to be home." She nipped at his cheek lightly, the close proximity filled her senses with him. When she peered up at him, her eyes darkened, informing him exactly what she wanted now that she was home.

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As much as he had missed her, their time apart had probably done them good. Burying his nose in her ruff, filling his nose with her scent, he could hardly fathom how much he cared about her, feeling the love almost as a physical weight in his chest. But that didn't mean they couldn't clash. Strong minds and feelings as theirs were bound to cross each other once in a while, and they hardly agreed on how to handle everything. In the end though, he wouldn't have it any other way. She was his strength, able to keep a cold head when his own got too cluttered with emotion, and even if she sometimes seemed cold in comparison, he knew that wasn't true. He felt it right now, as she leaned into him, returning soft words and a playful touch. Just because she didn't show it as readily, did not mean she didn't feel just as strongly and deeply as him, and when she did express it, it was like a toxin, infecting his blood. Feeling an electric buzz all over his body, his jerked his head back with a small growl, staring down at her with smoldering eyes. "You tempt me, woman," he muttered hoarsely, staring deeply into her dark emeralds. His body burned in every place it touched hers, every sense full of her in the enclosed space. Their first year of joined leadership had been a busy time, and while they mostly spend their nights together, it still felt like too long since he'd last had her completely to himself. Now he took the time to drink her in, eyes slowly tracing every line of her body, enjoying every part, from the arch at her neck to the curve of her hips. A crooked smile twisted his lip, ears twitching as he found her eyes once again; "Don't play games with me."   Word Count: 315  Thoughts "Speech"

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