Willow Ridge On my own

The water had finally returned to the valley leaving Avella feeling like she could breath again. For those months she had worried each and everyday that it would be the end of them. The end of Willow Ridge. They'd made it through and even had a litter of pups to raise in the midst of it all. She was proud of the pack for making it through each and everyday of the drought.

The matriarch found herself resting alongside her favorite creek listening to the familiar sound of the water. How she'd missed it so. She'd allowed the children some playtime with one of the other adults while she took a few moments to herself. She thought it was time to reflect on the past year.

Hagar was equally delighted by the return of rain, his hefty frame finally beginning to recover from the dwindling the drought had put it through. He felt reinvigorated, and despite their being small the wolf still felt his pack was strong. The children did not lack for nurturing nor love, and his leader appeared to have maintained her main pillars of support despite those who'd chosen to walk away. When it came to thinking of the future, he was largely optimistic.

He caught sight of Avella on his way toward the children, and paused. It had been a while since they'd spoken privately, and there was herd activity to inform her of... still, something inside of him was uncomfortable, and wanted to keep walking. Hagar swallowed the feeling back and pressed forward, chuffing to get his leader's attention. Whatever butterfly wings were plaguing him inside were fickle and foolhardy, needing to be ignored.

It was a pleasant day to be out amd for the briefest of moments she felt like the pup who could spend hours by that creek. Her love for it and her home hadn't dwindled during her time away. Still the leader in her worried about the fare of her pups and her pack. It hadn't gone unnoticed that her pack was dwindling. It saddened her that despite the home She'd created so many had left them. She was thankful that those she counted on most had remained.

Speaking of that a familiar chuffed reached her ears. Her head rose as a smile crossed her masked features. "Hagar," she greeted the chocolate man. With the chuldren and everything else that had been going on they hadn't had much tune to talk. It pleased her to see him. "Please join me. I've missed speaking with you."

She remained so similar to how she'd been before, and he realized then that it had been something inside of him that had changed. Her voice, ever soft and musical, expressed the same earnest fondness as always and yet that uncomfortable squirming in the pit of his stomach did not go away. Still, he maintained a veneer of fixedness himself as he took her up on the offer, smiling lightly while his tail wagged at an easy pace.

"How have you been?" he asked once settled, reclining onto his haunches a few feet from her.

So often it had been her and the children spending time with Hagar. They hadn't really had a chance to catch up just the two of them. Now with the children able to be on their own and she had sometime to get away this was a perfect opportunity. She was pleased that Hagar had appeared and even more so that he'd agreed to join her. Avella's tail swept the ground behind her as he took up a place a short distance from her.

"I've been well. Just taking a few moments to enjoy one of my favorite places in the ridge," she responded smiling. "And how have you been Hagar?"

He continued to disguise the unease he felt beneath his skin, anxieties squirming about uninvited. Briefly, he wistfully thought back to before all of the awkwardness. As much as he might want to return to that, though, this shift in dynamics had provided him with a gift he would never strive to forsake; children of his own.

Kind of.

"Good," he commented briefly before giving his answer, Hagar's loquacious moments still rare.

"I've been well, the hunting is good. Can pretty much fill the day with it," at least the moments not spent following after the kids.

Avella was glad that things between her and Hagar hadn't changed. It had truly been a joy watching him with the children over the last months. He really seemed to enjoy spending time with them. What made her happiest was that they had a father figure in their life. That had been something that she'd worried about after her last conversation with Alaric.

A warm smile was upon her lips as she spoke with the chocolate man. It felt like ages since they'd last been able to have a few moments without the children. "I'm glad you've been well but I hope your not considering spending all your days hunting," she said sounding a little concerned towards the end.

Hagar blinked, unsure if he was following. Hunting was his occupation, the good he brought to the children and the pack. What else would he be focusing his time on? Perhaps he'd been meant to do more. Maybe she was even joking- though, she hadn't sounded it. His head tilted slightly while verdant eyes regarded her.

"... I help with the markings too. Exterminate nuisances... play with the pups..."

Was that the problem? Was he spending too much time with them? His mind spun, but he tried to remain calm outwardly, waiting for Avella to explain and dispel or confirm his worries.

Avella was worried about the chocolate man though he seemed to thrive on work she also knew the joy of taking some time for oneself. She was a little confused at first when he listed off the things that he did. "I'm really happy that you do all of those things Hagar. Having your help does take a lot off my mind and I'm especially glad that you've formed a connection with the pups." That was probably the things he was most happy about.

"But Hagar you do so much for the pack. Do you ever take some time for yourself. A few moments now and then to just enjoy the smell of the air or the sound of the creek. Things like that?" Not only was she worried but she was curious too.

Avella assured him of his unspoken worry without intending to read his mind, and he breathed a little easier with the words. Hagar trusted her not to lie just to save his feelings, but it still didn't change what was to come. When Camden officially took on the role of their father, things would certainly be different. For now though, he could savor what he had while it lasted.

Time for himself... he blinked, considered. His forelimbs stretched forward as he shifted his weight while thinking.

"I think I do," he answered with earnest uncertainty. He certainly smelled and listened to what was around him, appreciated it for what it was. This was possible while staying active, and when it came to downtime, he thought over each day at its end while he waited for sleep to take over.

"Appreciating what's around me is part of what I enjoy about tracking and hunting. Time for myself... well, I'd just be thinking about the pack, you and the children anyways."