Fool's Gold Chasm gold into glitter

May 22nd; Early evening; Scattered Clouds; 51.8 ° F, 11 ° C.

Everything seemed to go back to normal when the hormones of Spring had edged away and pack life had settled in. As anticipated, the expectant mothers tucked themselves away into their dens. This left Adelard warier and more on edge than before. While he knew Aubine was shadowing him on his patrols, he couldn't help but feel the two were inadequate. Aubine, he knew, felt differently; but, he was beginning to crave something more.

As was per usual along his trek through the territory, he crept past Rhaegara's den. He stopped long enough to listen for the small chirps of the new life within before moving onward. Nothing unusual here.

Keeping his head low and his tail relaxed at his heels, he prowled towards Saga's den. A head tilt and a listen at the tunnel entrance. For a moment, there was nothing, but silence, then the comfort of calmness.

He pushed now towards the outer rim of the heartlands around the Chasm. The sun would fall behind the trees soon. His pace quickened before slowing at a familiar landmark. He dropped his head, stamping his paws into the leaning tree's roots. For good measure, he scratched his nails into the bark to warn other creatures that he had been there. Wide, amber eyes glistened in the moonrise and the gathering dark.

O, how the noble had fallen.

Russet ears pinned back before coming forward again. He scratched at the dirt, pretending to bury something precious. The spot would serve as a cache in later days, but, for now, Adelard laid down his figurative crown.

If he was not a Leader or the father of Fools' Gold Chasm's pups, he would be someone else. Someone better than the elitist heir he had been in his youth.

A skyward tilt of his head heralded the arrival of sunset with a low 'rooooooo.' The ever-vigilant guard was on duty.

(This post was last modified: May 23, 2021, 12:05 AM by Adelard.)

heat stroke, bring the fire
ADELARD GERAU
black smoke, I take it higher

The initial exhaustion of having the two women give birth back to back like they had was wearing off, even though Riven was dead set on sticking nearby the two birthing dens - if only to ensure that Saga, Rhaegara, and their pups were in good health. For the most part, he'd been sleeping outside somewhere between the birthing dens, finding refuge underneath a dense bush. It was... weird to sleep without the comfort and proximity of his packmates, and he was looking forward to cuddling up to the others again, but he figured he was doing alright.

He'd dozed off in his usual spot, blue eyes peeking open at the sound of footsteps heading by. Riv stretched and bit back a yawn, feeling something pop satisfyingly in his back as he got to his feet. Adelard's scent was familiar, even though they hadn't really had a genuine conversation since The Talk happened a couple months ago. Perhaps it was about time to talk again - to pursue that friendship they both seemed to want.

It was getting dark, and Riven found himself confused - and a bit concerned - when he noticed the guardian's scent was heading toward the border instead of back to the den. The healer hesitated, unsure of whether or not he should actually seek the other man out right now; perhaps he would rather be alone.

The sun sunk below the horizon and a low howl rung through the air, and Riven smiled just slightly at the sound. He took a deep breath, steeled himself, and brushed past the bushes that had initially separated the two of them.

"Do you often come out to sing by the borders?" he asked, tilting his head to the side and letting his tail wag slowly by his hocks.

The last of the birdsong died out as the sunglow continued to dim. Out on the western front, there was nothing of concern. For now. He had a couple of seconds to relish in the fact until the pitter-pattering sound of paws came to him. The whole of his body curled as he angled himself and turned to receive his company head-on. At his back, his tail lashed to the side once before being suspended in the air.

"Do you often come out to sing by the borders?"

A relieved breath left him through his nose as his saucer-like irises fell upon Riven. At first, his guard remained. He was almost suspicious. No one, apart from Aubine, trailed him. A quick sniff and a good look over conveyed to Adelard that the healer had simply sought him out. He gave his thinned-out coat a good shake before stepping forward to greet his companion.

His eyes softened and his shoulders relaxed. "Only on nights like this," he lent, his tenor tone soft in the still evening air. There was a hint of a smile in his words as he paused. "What brings you out into the dark?"

heat stroke, bring the fire
ADELARD GERAU
black smoke, I take it higher

Riven paused for a moment, brows drawing up in concern when he realized that it was clear Adelard had not expected company tonight. For a moment, he burned with embarrassment and shame - he must've intruded, and he worried he might've damaged some of the trust they'd built up somehow. But the larger man responded to him with a smile, so the blond wolf let out a quiet sigh of relief. Surely it couldn't have been that bad if the darker wolf didn't seem angry.

He turned his attention to the sky, where the beginnings of stars began to dapple across its dark canvas. A smile formed on his own maw. "It is a nice night," he murmured softly, marveling at how few clouds there were.

"What brings you out into the dark?"

"Oh, you, actually," he responded, glancing over to meet Adelard's gaze. "I've been sleeping between Rhae's and Saga's dens, and I heard you pass by. It's been a while since we've spoken, so I just... I wanted to see how you were doing. And I've missed talking to you." The boy smiled at the end of his explanation, hoping it didn't come off as too weird. "I haven't had time to check up on anyone since the puppies were born. It's been busy." And he did miss the connection he felt with his packmates - desperately. "It's been... lonely." That was a better word for it, he figured. A little lame, perhaps, but definitely honest.

"Oh, you, actually." Riven's answer had Adelard's whiskered brows high over his eyes. As the healer continued to expound on his answer, the surprise made way for curiosity... then, embarrassment as Riven added, "And I've missed talking to you."

Adelard's eyes wandered away and up into the cloudy sky. He wondered now if the sun had set only to make a home for itself within his throat. His face felt warm, his throat burned and a prickling feeling kept racing from the base of his neck down his spine. It was uncomfortable; though, Riven's words made for easy distractions.

His left ear swiveled to the side. Hearing that the blue-eyed man had been lonely was heart-wrenching. It probably didn't help that Adelard wasn't the type to reach out or take part in anything gregarious. If anything, he had hoped that his packmates knew that he was always available to them. All they had to do was ask.

"That's unfortunate," he sympathized, his eyes not leaving the periwinkle sky. The clouds still had color to them, but in a few moments' time, they were going to turn dark and gray. "But, I get what you mean." The corners of his mouth turned down, and he stole a glimpse at Riven, "And, you can always talk to me."

There was a split second of thought before he added for good measure, "About anything."

(This post was last modified: May 25, 2021, 05:25 AM by Adelard.)

heat stroke, bring the fire
ADELARD GERAU
black smoke, I take it higher

"It's not so bad. I've been busy - they gave birth within a day of one another." He still could hardly believe how close together the pups were - they'd definitely be a handful when they got a little older. Not that Riven wasn't excited to get to know all of their individual personalities, but he was a little stressed about it, as well. He was grateful that he would never have to worry about giving birth and raising his own children - it all seemed like such a hassle.

A small smile formed on his maw as Adelard continued on, his gaze softening a little. "I appreciate that," he murmured, daring to inch just a little closer to the other man. Certainly not close enough to touch, but closer. He wasn't quite bold enough for that. "You can talk to me, too. About anything," he echoed, glancing down at the freshly-dug dirt at the tree roots, then at the same dirt that clung to the darker wolf's forelimbs.

It seemed important, somehow, and Riven was struck with the fact that he knew very little about his companion's history, what had brought him here and what kept him here. Perhaps he was out near the borders for more than just singing, tonight. Riven kept himself from outright asking what the significance of the whole situation was, but the question lingered in the air anyway.

What are you really doing out here?

Riven seemed to shake it all off with ease, like water off a duck's back. While he had sensed the two mothers had delivered their broods, he never would have realized that the litters had arrived a day apart from the other. It took him a moment to come to terms with a handful of yearlings - he figured maybe six of them total - bounding about. His parents, just a couple of years ago, had had a rough time with only triplets. The cubs of Fools' Gold Chasm were definitely going to be a test of faith for their parents and the pack.

"Thanks," it was the only thing he could say for the present moment. He noticed how Riven's eyes had found his muddied forepaws. Though the question hung in the air, unasked, Adelard could feel it. His left ear came forward again to mirror the one on his right.

He cleared his throat, hoping the rough sound would somehow help their conversation carry on, "Did you..." His jaw started to clench and he struggled to swallow the lump that had formed in his throat. "Want to patrol with me?" It wouldn't be too far, or even a full circuit around the territory. Just a stroll that was long enough for a private little chat. "I'm sure Aubine is around somewhere, but she shouldn't bother us anytime soon."

heat stroke, bring the fire
ADELARD GERAU
black smoke, I take it higher

Four children would be quite the handful, but Riven was confident that the pack would be able to support and help raise them. Especially in Rhaegara’s case, with just the one child - he was determined to assist the young mother. It had become apparent that the father of the child was not in the picture, which was... unheard of, where Riven was from, and it made him a bit angry that a man would leave a woman in such a state, using them for pleasure and leaving them in the fallout.

But it wasn’t his place to be angry, so he settled with just... being there, the way he knew how.

Riven blinked a few times at the offer, briefly - and stupidly - wondering why Adelard would think that he was a suitable patrol companion. But then the implication hit him, and he found himself nodding his head. There must be things that the agouti man wanted to keep between them.

“I’d be glad to,” he assured, taking a couple steps forward so that the two of them could walk side by side. “Though you’ll have to forgive me if I’m not the most intimidating of guardians.” It was unlikely that his presence at the borders would be much of a deterrent for anyone, even if that was not the reason for this particular patrol.

To hear that Riven was glad to come along made Adelard's heart skip a beat. Having never traversed the idea of an actual courtship, he wasn't quite sure what to expect. Getting the Healer alone, he supposed, was one way to go about connecting further. A soft smile brought his tail into a lazy wag, and with a few steps, he began to lead the younger wolf into the dark.

"Oh, you'll be fine," he assured him. "You have me."

There was silence for a time, a while where it gave the duo time to get comfortable as they walked and get a nice pace set up.

Adelard's steps were slow and deliberate. As much as he wanted to just take a dive, see what happened from one forward action to another, he didn't. The static was starting to build. He was uncertain where to go from here. A little bit more instances of silence and he sorted one concrete thought out of the haze.

"I'd kill for you, you know," he hummed, keeping his round yellow eyes focused on the woods in front of them. "I don't know how to explain it, but I would." It was the only thing he could think of to say.

heat stroke, bring the fire
ADELARD GERAU
black smoke, I take it higher

It hadn't really crossed Riven's mind that that was what was happening. Wolves seldom mated for love back at the Plains, but more for reproduction, or even arranged marriages from time to time. Courtship happened here and there, but it wasn't something that he was well-versed in.

"You have me."

His skin warmed beneath his fur and he offered the man a small smile, feeling a bit shyer than before, but also comfortable. It didn't feel weird or forced or unnatural, being with Adelard, and he was getting used to these warm, fuzzy feelings that settled in his chest when he was in close proximity to the other man.

"Do I?" he asked, glancing sidelong at the other man, expression soft and relaxed. "For what it's worth, you have me, too." Perhaps not to fight for, but... Riven wanted the other to know that he was there. For whatever he may need.

His ears perked up and his brows drew together at Adelard's next words. They were unexpected; the healer had never had anyone say anything like that to him before. There were so many things he could say - I could never ask that from you, or I would die for you, or I wouldn't be worth that.

But he said none of them. Instead, he mustered up a bit of courage and brushed his flank along the larger wolf's, fixing his eyes on the path ahead of them.

Riven took a deep breath before he finally spoke. "I would be devastated if I turned you into a killer," he murmured, still close enough to touch, but was not quite brave enough to make eye contact with the man. "The only thing that I want from you is to be yourself." Well... that wasn't quite all he would ask. He amended the lie rather quickly. "Or, that would be all I wanted... if I were less selfish." His heart had suddenly jumped into his throat, and he had to swallow to keep it down. The healer turned his eyes back up to the man, seeking his gaze. "I want to know you. I can't help it - I just... I feel like there's so much of you that I don't understand, and I want to, more than anything." He was overstepping, and he knew it, but for some reason, he couldn't bring himself not to. Even if he kind of felt like he was about to throw up.

(This post was last modified: May 26, 2021, 02:28 AM by Riven.)