Whitestone Monadnock the compromise

Backdated to March 24th RE: Snowmaggedon! A foot of snow has fallen overnight! Heavy snow, 17°F, -8°C

As it had been expected, Lorcan had hardly slept that night. He had laid there quietly at the back of the den, golden eyes peering through the darkness, listening to the sounds of his fellow pack mates who slept around him. His mind was too busy for sleep; too busy worrying and planning and scheming for him to relax enough to drift off. At times he had considered sneaking out to visit Inna, but he knew that to avoid suspicion he had to wait until morning.

The first rays of golden sunlight caused his dark lashes to flutter as the light filtered its way to the back of the den. A jaw splitting yawn was summoned from his chest and a moment later he had rolled onto his paws to creep quietly out of the den, doing his best not to disturb the pile of sleeping bodies around him.

Shuffling out into the light, Lorcan was surprised at the amount of snow that had fallen overnight during the blizzard. It had coated the plateau in a blanket of pristine white and the agouti male felt almost guilty for having to disturb the beautiful sight with his muddy paws. The warm light from the distant sunrise only seemed to add to the spectacle, but unfortunately this was one sunrise that he could not afford to enjoy. He had important things to discuss.

After a thorough shake of his pelt, the Whitestone healer traipsed quietly down the old goat track straight to the old coyote den where he had left @Inna the night before. Dark nostrils flared as he paused outside the dark entrance and inhaled the air to assure himself that she was indeed still there. Lowering his head to peer into the darkness, the tip of his nose searched for the familiar warmth of her fur.

“Inna..” He whispered softly, before finding her form and nudging it gently, hoping to see the bright fiery orange of her eyes appear any moment.

(This post was last modified: Mar 26, 2017, 07:57 PM by Lorcan.)

# P O R C A N

sometimes, two people have to fall apart to realise

how much they need to fall back together

Sleep had not come to Inna right away after Lorcan had left her in the den. It had been that way for awhile now so she peered out into into the night watching the snow fall outside the den. It was small but cozy and kept most of the cold out. Her ears were on constant alert for sounds of footfalls, her worry about being within the Whitestone territory without Lorcan also served to keep her awake. Her thoughts drifting to the conversation she'd had with her friend before he'd brought her den. Thoughts about returning to Hearthwood and how she could make things better with her mother and Aleksei. Then about herself and how she could change herself for the better and not be the girl that her brother had described.

What lie ahead of her and Lorcan was something Inna couldn't predict as much as she wanted to. It would make their situation a lot easier on both of them but she had to be realistic about what was happening. Inna hoped that one day Lorcan wouldn't be there for her because he felt responsible but because he was happy to be a father. That it wouldn't be about taking care of her but being a good father to his children, all she wanted was for her children to have a father who loved them like hers had loved her. She didn't care how Lorcan felt about her, whether they were friends or not as long as her children had their father.

The Baranski didn't know how long she'd laid in the den watching the snow fall and listening to the sounds of the blizzard as it continued on through the night. Lorcan had promised he would come to check on her in the morning but it felt like time was passing so slowly. It was shortly before dawn when her eyes finally slid shut and sleep overtook her. It wasn't a restful sleep by any means full of nightmares of what could happen to her and Lorcan. The sound of footfalls outside the den didn't wake her or the sound of her name as it was whispered into the den.

It was the gentle nudge that cause her to finally stir from yet another nightmare which she was glad to be woken from. Lifting her head from her paws she looked up into the golden gaze of Lorcan blinking the sleep from her eyes. “Is it morning already?” She asked her voice still groggy from sleep. Her jaws parted into a yawn before she could say anything else. They had a lot to talk about and Inna wondered where Lorcan stood now that he’d had the night to think.

(This post was last modified: Mar 27, 2017, 02:14 AM by Inna.)

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Russet ears pressed back against his head in frustration when he saw now movement as a result of his voice. Fortunately though, his gentle nudge was enough to stir a reaction from her and Lorcan chuffed in greeting as he watched her dark lashes flutter open to reveal that sleepy orange gaze. A warm laugh bubbled up from his chest at her question and he quickly leaned in to the warmth of the den to offer a quick lick to her nose. “I’m afraid so.” He murmured, before back away to give her room to clamber out of the small dwelling.

After waiting a moment for @Inna to shuffle herself out, Lorcan stepped quietly to move further down the path. “Come, you can get a fresh drink from the pond at the bottom.” He whispered, gesturing down the path with his muzzle. If nothing else the freezing cold water to serve as a good way to properly wake them both up.

Upon reaching the bottom of the path, where the stone moulded into the snowy tundra, Lorcan curved off to one side to lead her directly to the small body of water. Ice had formed on its surface overnight, but this was easily solved with a heavy pound of his forepaws. Shuffling over, the agouti male allowed ample room for Inna to move in a get a drink beside him.

Lifting his head, salmon pink tongue swept across his maw to collect the last few drops of water from his charcoal lips before he turned to face the Hearthwood girl again. “So I’ve been thinking…” He began quietly, golden gaze looking anxiously across to her. “I want to support you with the pups but neither of us are prepared to leave our packs.” He continued, pausing for a moment to allow her to confirm his assumptions. “So…why don’t we meet halfway? Literally.” Genius.

He licked his lips nervously, growing worried about what she might say to his idea. “Our packs are only, at most, two days apart. So if we agreed on a place to meet somewhere in the middle we could use it as a rendezvous.” He stopped, ears falling back against his head as he looked at Inna. “What do you think?” He asked timidly, hoping that she wouldn't turn it down in the next few seconds.

# P O R C A N

sometimes, two people have to fall apart to realise

how much they need to fall back together

When she felt the nudge Inna wasn't ready to wake up with as tired as she’d become since she'd returned to Hearthwood. With his nudge came his scent and his familiar chuff pulling her from her sleep as she lifted her head to look at him. Her question was met with a laugh and she frowned, not at him but the fact that it was morning and she had to wake up. A lengthy rest would be required once she returned home but for now she and Lorcan had something's to discuss. “It's much too early,” she said light-heartedly before returning a lick to his chin. As he backed out of the den Inna rose to her feet but remaining in a slightly crouched position before slipping out of the den and coming to stand beside Lorcan.

She took in the scene before her, the amount of snow that had fallen through the previous day and night was much more than she'd expected. She turned her head as Lorcan spoke of a pond that she could get a drink from, “Thank you Lorcan a drink would be welcome,” she stated with dip of her head. They were in Whitestone Territory, they had to be careful in case they were being watched or listened to. So she thought it best to keep things... Cordial for the time being. She hoped that Lorcan would understand what she was trying to do, that it was for him. She'd been a emotional mess the previous night and past week. Her night in the coyote den had given her some time to gather herself, she had a family of her own to worry about.

It was time she got up, brushed herself off, and start over.

Inna remained a few paces behind him as Lorcan led her down to the pond, she kept her head and tail low to be a good visitor. The last thing Inna wanted to do was bring suspicion on her and Lorcan or cause trouble with the alliance Lachesis wanted with Craw and Morganna. She followed him to the left when they reached the bottom of her path and then to the pond. It had iced over but he was able to make a joke so they could drink. She came up beside him as he made room for her and lowered her head to the water before taking her first drink since the previous day.

When she saw him finish out of the corner of her eye she took that as the cue, it was time for them to talk. Lifting her head from the water her pink tongue swept across her lips to remove the excess water and she turned to listen to him. She nodded as he spoke agreeing with him and the idea he was setting in front of her was one she couldn't disagree with. “I think that's best, it will also allow us time to know if we are being followed before we lead anyone there,” she spoke matching his tone. “Perhaps we can go on a scouting mission, at least that is what we can tell our packs, for a suitable place. Unless you had that in mind as well?” She knew they couldn't be too careful if this was going to work they would have to remain vigilant at all times.

(This post was last modified: Mar 27, 2017, 02:18 PM by Inna.)

Please see Kajika's OOC profile for OOC preferences, thank you.

 

The Whitestone healer waited anxiously to hear Inna’s response to his idea, hoping that she wouldn’t oppose to it immediately. Russet ears perked up and his black tipped tail moved to sway in relief behind him when he heard that his friend agreed. “Very true. That’s something I hadn’t even thought of.” He admitted with an uneasy shifting of his paws.

At her suggestion the agouti male nodded in agreement. “No, I agree, scouting out a suitable meet-up point sounds like a good idea.” He whispered, turning to her with a mischievous smile. “We should find somewhere secluded.” He added, narrowing his eyes in thought.

“I could cache food at that location as well…for—for them.” He suggested, with a shrug of his shoulders. It still felt strange to him, the idea that growing inside @Inna were his own offspring, but he was trying to be responsible and he would provide for them the best he could given the circumstances.

Once they had both had their fill of water, Lorcan’s paws crossed over to direct him away from the small frozen pond and back towards the wide open tundra. “I should probably escort you out of the territory, before the others wake up.” He softly, gesturing for Inna to follow after him with a wave of his muzzle. “We can talk more as we walk.” He suggested, giving her a nervous smile.

The sooner they started moving, the sooner they could talk without fear of being overheard.

Lorcan moved silently in the direction of the territorial border, only stopping occasionally to allow Inna to catch up to him. It was only as they neared the pungent boundaries that he turned to speak with her again. “Sorry, I wanted to make sure that we couldn’t be overheard.” He explained, his voice deep with concern. “We need to agree on some kind of alibi. There have already been questions..” He admitted, golden eyes looking to her seriously.

(This post was last modified: Mar 27, 2017, 03:01 PM by Lorcan.)

# P O R C A N

sometimes, two people have to fall apart to realise

how much they need to fall back together

When he explained his idea to her she couldn't see a flaw in it as long as they made sure they weren't followed. If they were going to stay out of trouble they would have to ensure they didn't get caught. She had brought up being followed and was glad she had because he hadn't thought about it, “It was just a thought but I'm glad we are talking about this now.” She knew it might not be the last instance where there was something that one of them hadn't thought of that the other had.

Her suggestion of scouting a place was one that he liked too, “Great! We need to decide when we want to go, maybe a few days from now? I need to go home for a couple of days and let them know I haven't deserted maybe do some hunting for them.” After what her mother had said Inna wanted to work much harder for the pack. She wanted show Kisla just how much Hearthwood did mean to her. She caught the smile and gave the same one in return, “I like the idea of that.” Secluded meant private, a place they wouldn't have to worry. Where they could talk and act freely. Not like now where she had to mind her tone and everything was said in hushed tones.

She nodded, “That will be helpful... Necessary actually,” she said her voice quiet yet determined. His suggestion about the cache reminded her that she needed to tell him of what she'd decided. Her mother's concern about the pack not having the resources had been something she may have taken wrong, Inna would admit that but it had bothered her all the same. She had a promise to keep, that her pups would not have an effect on Hearthwoods resources.

There was a pause in their conversation where Inna stole another quick drink before she followed Lorcan away from the pond. As they walked he explained he needed to get her out of the territory. That they could talk more as they walked but the Tundra would be the best place for them to continue this. “It might be best if we didn't run into any of them now with…,” she trailed off thinking he would get her point. The smile that appeared on his face was one that she wanted to do something to reassure him but couldn't in their current environment.

They needed a place they could speak freely about the things that were to come. Things that if overhead would mean the end of it all.

She fell in behind him as he moved in the direction of the border doing her best to keep just a few short paces behind him. She still had to rush to keep up with him do to the snow a few times. The scent of the boundary stung her nostrils as neared it. “Don't worry I understand, it's imperative that we aren't overheard.” He did however bring up a good point, their alibi but the fact there had been questions on his side worried her some. She supposed it was to be expected but she was curious of his answers to them. “Did you have something in mind for the alibi?” She started with that and moved on to, “What kind of questions? If you don't mind my asking.”

(This post was last modified: Mar 27, 2017, 04:13 PM by Inna.)

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Lorcan nodded in agreement when Inna explained that she needed to return home and spend a few days there before they met up again to search for a rendezvous site. He himself was not comfortable with leaving Whitestone so soon after his uninformed leave. “I should talk with Morganna or Wraith, first.” He stated. “I don’t want to keep leaving for extended periods of time without letting one of them know first. I fear they’ll get suspicious if I keep doing that.” He admitted, golden eyes scanning across to Inna’s face in search of reassurance.

The agouti male offered a smile when his friend stated that caching food there would be helpful, though, one word she used bugged him. Tilting his head curiously, Lorcan questioned her quietly. “Necessary?” He whispered. He had offered out of politeness and a sense of responsibility more than anything.

He remained quiet for the rest of their walk as they made their way towards the scented pack borders. It was only once they were well out of earshot and right on the edge of the claimed territory that he finally brought up the important conversation about their alibi. Russet ears pressed back against his head awkwardly when Inna asked him what kind of things he had been questioned on already. Black tipped tail flicked behind him nervously as he tried to remember back to his conversation with Piety.

“Piety asked me who I had been with. She obviously smelt you on me that day...” He began, golden eyes glancing across to @Inna apprehensively. “I said that I was only with you for those last couple of days, that we went hunting in the mountains.” He said, watching Inna’s expression carefully. “I promise, I didn’t mention your name, though.” He added swiftly, in case she had started to panic that he had. “I said it was only those last few days because, that way if anybody asks…you can just say you were pregnant before then—that I never even knew about it...until today?” He hoped he hadn't seriously messed up already. He had been under pressure to answer at the time.    

(This post was last modified: Mar 28, 2017, 07:08 PM by Lorcan.)

# P O R C A N

sometimes, two people have to fall apart to realise

how much they need to fall back together

A lynx has left behind the remains of a deer. +5 Health

They would need to find a place that was easy and could be gotten to quickly so that they could meet. As Lorcan spoke about speaking to Morganna and Wraith about leaving for another extended period Inna felt she should probably speak with her mother after what had been said. “How long do you think we’ll be gone? So I can speak with my mother and Lachesis about it. I shouldn't be disappearing for extended periods either without talking to them, at least not for awhile.” She kind of felt that once she'd been discovered the night she'd returned from her time with Lorcan any permission she might've had prior had been revoked.

He repeated the one word she had used that she wasn't quite ready to explain what she'd mean, It was something else she thought he needed to know. Normally she wouldn't have made a decision without consulting him but this she had decided on her own and on the spot. “My mother and Lachesis see my litter as a burden on Hearthwood, at least that is how it's been expressed to me. There are two other litters to be born this spring,” she explained in a whisper letting that sink in before she went on. “I have made my decision and I will not be swayed,” she added in the same quiet tone, “I will be the one to care for our children, Hearthwood won't have a part, they will still be a part but their food will not come from the caches. Their medical supplies will not come from the infirmary and their learning will not come from the wolves of Hearthwood, I will do it myself with your help if you're still willing.” Inna had made up her mind that this was how it would be. She would hunt for Hearthwood before herself and as long as her pups grew inside her she would not eat from the caches nor would she seek medical help from Lachesis.

She did not like the feeling that their words had given her so she thought it best this way. That way if something happened her poor choice could not be blamed. If they wanted to see her pups they would have to proved to her that they cared about them as a family should, for now she didn't feel they did. She couldn't have her children around that.

Nothing was said between them as they continued to the border and out onto the Tundra​ for the rest of their conversation. It needed to be out of earshot as they would be speaking of their alibi but Inna was curious about the questions that had been asked. What had Lorcan told them, she trusted him not to say anything. Unfortunately it occurred to her that she did not know the kinds of relationships he had here in Whitestone. So what would he be willing to tell to whom was her next question that she hoped he would answer for her.

She didn't speak and kept her features neutral as he spoke about a female that had asked about who he'd been with. Just as she had hoped he would he lied and told her that they had only been with together for the last few days he was gone. She would say that she had gotten pregnant before and he had only found that day. Most importantly he had not said her name, which was most important. After all that he said she sat in back on her haunches in the snow and thought through what he had said. She then looked up at him, “Thank you for not telling her my name and I think that will work for our alibi.” She told though she wasn't going to lie she was glad he hadn’t shared her name or this would all be ruined. She looked up to meet his gaze once more, “Who is Piety?” She asked curiously as she would like to know a little more about this woman asking all of these questions. Also because she hadn't heard the name and was curious who she was.

(This post was last modified: Mar 28, 2017, 08:59 PM by Inna.)

Please see Kajika's OOC profile for OOC preferences, thank you.

 

It was true. Neither of them were in the best place right now with their respective superiors and so they would both have to tread carefully when carrying out their plan. Lorcan’s head tipped to one side in thought at Inna’s question and paused a moment before answer. “No longer than a week. It think that would give us plenty of time to search for a suitable meet up point.” He answered, looking towards the dark female to see if she agreed with him.

White brows furrowed into a frown when she used the word ‘necessary’. What exactly did she mean by that? Not one to hold back his curiosity, Lorcan of course asked her about it. His frown grew deeper with a mixture of both guilt and concern at what @Inna told him. Burden?! His fur bristled with irritation at the idea of her own family calling their litter such a thing – but then he quickly reminded himself that their opinion was entirely warranted. Their litter was unplanned and a pack could only provide enough resources for so many. That still didn’t make the term any less of an insult to him though, but he kept his opinion to himself and pressed his lips together tightly. He didn’t want to make Inna feel uncomfortable.

How Inna intended to raise their litter in light of such an opinion concerned him though and he couldn’t help but sway his tail anxiously behind him as he listened to her plan.

“I think it’s very brave of you to decide to do this all on your own–and I will do everything I can to help you, I will–but…” He paused, russet ears flattened against his head. “Do you not think that maybe…that might put too much pressure on you?” Golden eyes glanced across to her then, worrying evident in his lucid gaze. “I know things can’t be easy for you at the moment, considering what your family have said, but...the whole point of a pack is that its members are there to support each other. Otherwise w-what’s the point in being in a pack at all?” He leaned in to nuzzle into the thick fur of her neck then, before pulling away and offering her a lick to her chin as he did so.

“I know you don’t want our pups to be a burden but…I just don’t think you should completely exclude yourself or them from pack life. Think of all the things they’d miss out on?” His tone was softer and quieter than before, but the slight trembling in his voice made it clear how strongly he felt about the subject.

Lorcan gave a soft sign of relief and swept his muzzle under hers affectionately when she agreed with what he had said when questioned about their time together. However, he couldn’t completely relax for Inna then caught his gaze and asked him the most awkward question ever. Piety’s name had just slipped from his mouth, he hadn’t even realised. Golden eyes widened momentarily in fear before he quickly shook his pelt to recompose himself. “Piety? She’s—” Just the woman I wish I’d slept with instead of you. Pause. Deep breath. “—just my best friend. She looks out for me.” He replied, forcing a smile to his face. This was so awkward.

(This post was last modified: Mar 29, 2017, 05:14 PM by Lorcan.)

# P O R C A N

sometimes, two people have to fall apart to realise

how much they need to fall back together