Shroud of the Lost feels so right taking the wrong advice

All welcome, but he's hoping for @Loach~

Clouse had told himself he would see March through to its end in the Ridge, but then their numbers had started to climb, all girls and he couldn't stand it any longer. His job there was still far from finished, but a few days could be taken, couldn't they? With word to @Rashina and @Avella that he would be gone but back soon, he tapped out and all but fled from the willows.

He'd taken as little rest as possible, and still was all the more energized the closer he came to the Split. These woods were far more familiar, and it was comforting to be back amongst them for that singular presence they were associated with. He stopped to scent at a patch of spring grass sprouting through what remained of the snow, seeking a sign that Loach had come this way. A tiny voice in the back of his mind continuously wondered, would he really be happy to see Clouse again after so long apart?

He had been ready to gear up for another trip to the spot.

Wandering had become the only way he would not go mad, he feared. The company of the cubbin' was easiest when the woman all stunk to high heaven with the scents of spring. All it had done to him was irritate him and he had found himself plenty happy to let them go wander off if they wished. Let them be another man's problem for the minute!

He had just wanted to grab something from a personal cache first before he began the trek south.

He had not imagined it would be Clouse that he had come to grab from the cache. You get back and not call me?! No anger touched his voice. Only bewildered excitement and the sudden shackles of spring freed from his neck.

(This post was last modified: Mar 25, 2023, 06:20 AM by Loach.)

Luck always allowed them a run-in, it would seem. Fate, some might even call it, but Clouse was not yet so brave. He heard movement toward the wood, eyes moving to track it with a wish held in his heart. It came to fruition the moment he recognized that salt-and-pepper face, and his legs wouldn't keep him away from Loach any longer.

He dashed to meet him, that grin and playful voice enough to tell him he was indeed welcome. Clouse dotted the other man's jaw with kisses like the flutter of hummingbird wings.

"Only for a moment, but... gods I've missed you."

The distance was too far from his family that needed him, he could only stay a full rise and fall of the sun, but it was worth it for any amount of time at all with him.

Loach could not, would not, contain his own string of kisses. Trailed all over and along the handsome face that had come home to him. Even if it seemed to only be for a moment. A moment together meant a million things to wayward lovers.

I missed ya too.

A soft sigh was he moved to slump his rear against the ground. Forelegs softly reached to grapple the smaller male.

How're they doin'? What's it lookin' like? As much as he wished to ignore all of it and only talk to his lover about dovey things, it would not be appropriate. Not yet. Not in Loach's mind, at least.

Clouse sunk happily into his company, silver-dollar eyes closing as he gave his own sigh of contentment against Loach's chest. He wouldn't have thought twice about it if the other wolf hadn't asked after his mess of a family, but he surprised himself with feeling a tinge of appreciation as the fisherman did anyways. Not prying, just caring, for him. His tail tapped the ground as it wagged lazily.

"Better, actually. Got a couple more wolves with 'em now, one of 'em Ra's really taken to. Guess Avella won't be trying to lead alone this time either. I just, gotta see for myself that it all actually pans out."

Big plans alone did not make a pack, much less provide safety and nourishment. He wouldn't assume everything was on the up and up, only to find out too late that things took a turn and Ra had ended up needing him again.

"How's the Split?"

The existence of Llinnea's bogeyman was most concerning during this time apart, and even the source of a few bad dreams. Otherwise, he wouldn't much worry, Loach's survival skills more than adequate to keep his little ragtag group afloat.

Better.

There was that selfish little flare again, that ugly green beast. It would have been so easy to simply say come home then. To carry him to bed and pretend that things were whole for everybody. Just so that it could be them.

Yet he knew it would never be that simple. Not right now, at least.

It's...same old, y'know. A soft roll of his shoulders. I was thinkin' 'bout findin' somewhere a bit bigger. Didn't think so many would be sticking around still.

He thought at the first breeze of spring, they'd be gone. Maybe not Llinnea, but the others? Possibly. Probably. Now there was a good little group and he knew that predators would come fighting for a chance to fish soon too. Why risk all of them against bears or cougars when there was plenty of river to go?

'Same old' was certainly better than 'gone to shit,' but Clouse of course could understand that hint of chagrin he thought he heard in the words. (Or maybe he was projecting again.)

"Oh?" he showed his interest, eyes opening to peer up at his lover's features.

"Any more than last I heard?"

It seemed in a way, they were undertaking the same work. Moving to provide for a growing group; many would consider that the founding of a pack. Was that the intention here, though? Did Loach want to be settled, did he want to lead? Or was he just trying to do the next right thing and hoping it wouldn't end up trapping him in a corner?

Well, uh, He ran a mental count of those who lingered around still. Ve, Lana. Two cubbin' 'bout to be grown. Me, o'course, and gotta have room for you too, hm? He tried not to pin the man, to not make him feel like he had to be a body here. No matter what ran its course with the group, there would always be a place for Clouse wherever Loach laid his head.

They weren't lovers because of a group claim.

S' a lot of bodies to keep cramped up at the split. But I figured if they do wander off anyway then...I'm just findin' me a better spot too. Somewhere that the fish would not fear for the amount of hunters and somewhere to better shelter the ill of the weather he had witnessed. The split was open and while he had loved it for that, he had also come to learn how to hate it too.

Maybe you'll tell me if I'm bein' stupid.

Did he know Ve? Clouse couldn't remember. Admittedly, most of his time socializing had been spent in Loach's company. Their bond already toed the line of what the Archer was comfortable with, he hadn't felt any pull to form further ties with any others. Thankfully, his beau hadn't appeared to take offense to this so far.

Would things be different though, the next time he returned to this riverside group? He rested his head against Loach's chest once more, letting his eyes close and taking the chance to simply enjoy being together while it lasted.

Stupid? A faint chuckle. That word had never come to mind in relation to the fisherwolf, except when it was about how stupidly taken with Loach he was.

"I think you're bein' mighty responsible," he answered with a smile. Was that what Loach wanted? To have responsibility?

His mother and father would have laughed if they could see him now.

Cozied up with some man, talking about responsibility. Maybe it wasn't who he had wanted to be when he was younger, or even just a year ago, but it surely seemed to be who he was becoming. He hardly believed in fate and destiny, those sort of chains, but maybe there was a reason he had fallen into this.

I hardly am with this crew. Everyone seems to mind their own...real self-sufficient bunch. He snorted softly as he leaned a bit deeper into Clouse. But...y'know, I don't mind making sure everything stays good so everyone can keep enjoying themselves. His voice grew soft and careful, like a private confession.