Swiftcurrent Creek You were moving in, now you're moving on.

Viinturuth roamed the Sunspire for a time and, satisfied with the female company he'd shared (as well as the discovery of his wayward niece), he made swiftly for home. At once he began to look for the swarthy Alpha, eager to share news Lilitu - and unaware of the what challenges his brother had faced in his short absence.

Snow began to fall quietly that evening as he picked his way through the territory, clinging to the silver of his shoulders and tips of his pallid ears. When he detected a fresh scent trail he shifted to follow it, emitting a soft wuff to draw Akavir's attention to him as he quickened his stride to catch up.

Viinturuth’s call drew the man’s muzzle to swing over his shoulder, champagne eyes falling to mahogany and a small smile pressing to the corner of his lips—though the smile did not meet his eyes. Eshe’s departure would be news to Viinturuth—mostly, Akavir wasn’t looking forward to discussing it any further at this point.

He had fallen for a fantasy, and reality had caught up to him.

“You seem chipper,” he rumbled dryly, noting the quick stride his brother held as he canted his muzzle, pausing his own step to allow the Mayfair to catch up to him.

While Akavir attempted a smile as he turned to regard his brother's approach, there was a hollowness to his eyes. A sorrow that Viinturuth recognised lurked within their gilded depths; his tail ceased its merry wave on noticing how worn-out his littermate appeared.

He hoped his news would lift his spirits, however: I found Lilitu.

A smile, triumphant, graced the pallid ranger's muzzle. In the valley where she was born. She wants to see you, Akavir. His lips tugged upward in an urging smile, hopeful.

Viinturuth’s words stopped him instantly—Akavir’s muzzle swinging to the direction of the ivory man, his eyes casting over the serious yet pleased expression he exuded currently.

Lilitu was okay. Lilitu wanted to come by.

The weight that lifted from him in this moment was palpable, and with a surprise bark of a laugh, nearly giddy with the information before the dark wolf spun, his forehead coming to press against his brothers in gratitude and brotherhood. “I knew if anyone could find her, you would.”

The news if Lilitu's most recent sighting caused a shift in Akavir's features. The darker of the brothers brightened, his joy instant and mounting as he moved to push his brow to Viinturuth's. He shoved roughly against him, pleased.

I am a man of many talents, he barked his own laugh, arching his neck to aim a sharp nip to Akavir's cheek before swinging away to the side to avoid retaluation. He eyed his littermate, keen to maintain the mood, but knew the dark undercurrent woukd need to be addressed. You doing okay?

"That you are," he ageed. His brother aimed a well timed nip to his cheek before skirting away from the potential rebuff, drawing a cheeky grin from the Mayfair who considered springing after him—but the conversation turned.

There wasn’t much to contemplate. Eshe had chosen to run from discussion when she hadn’t instantly gotten her way—and in the end, it certainly felt he had dodged a bullet of sorts, rather than trying to raise children with someone who couldn’t deal with conflict.

“No,” he admitted, but gave a soft chuckle. “But I’m doing a lot better knowing that at least one out of five of my kids don’t hate me.”

There was a beat of silence, during which Viinturuth recognised a tremor of uncertainty. He thought back to the time when he'd found Akavir in the downpour, at his lowest point. It'd been terrible to see his brother so defeated, so broken, to learn how he'd lost everything. The white wolf blinked, dark eyes gentle on Akavir's face, and his ears splayed at the admission of "no".

Talk to me.

Viinturuth—so simple in his ability to just be there with him. A small smile flitted briefly across the man’s muzzle—his eyes falling to look to the ground as he considered his words. “She just left. Like I and the pack meant nothing to her. I asked her what would happen if our kids hated me like my last three, and she got pissed off and stormed off. When I tried to follow after her, she snapped at me—so I gave her space. I was pissed. You’re supposed to talk shit out, y’know? She tried to call me to her a few hours after and I didn’t go… I was still mad. Then she left. She was gone.”

He smirked, then—it was easier to be amused about it then the heartbreak he felt in that moment. “When she finally came back, she ended it and left. It sucks. But I think I dodged a bullet…”

Eshe, gone - abandoning Swiftcurrent and Akavir over an uncertainty?

The white wolf frowned and furrowed his brow, taken aback by the ease with which the silver she-wolf had taken her leave of her life among them. She'd chosen his brother to settle with, accepted his proposal, ascended to lead at his side. Akavir's concerns considering parenthood were genuine, in his opinion, and Viinturuth didn't understand.

Eshe had never been anything but lovely around him. He wondered if it'd all been a ruse. He emitted a huff and lashed his tail in frustration. Sounds like you definitely did, he agreed, for Akavir's hesitation had certainly unveiled his companion's true priorities, but for what it's worth, I'm sorry that this happened.

On the tip of his tongue hung a certain confession—and as he considered his littermate for a moment—the man before him who had been with him through thick and thin through all aspects of his life, spare when he had been traversing on his own—he knew only Viinturuth would be the one to hear this.

“I loved her. But there’s another. Unattainable. And I think, somehow, Eshe realized that…”

Perhaps, the mask he had portrayed—the great role he had tried to act—had not been as cleverly done as he had hoped.

And as abrupt as her departure was… Perhaps, there was a part of her that had sensed it, as well.

He didn’t wish to dwell on it. “Any other news from our talented scout?”

Ah, so there was more to it - and it seemed that Akavir was not wholly innocent on the matter. There's another, his brother said, and Viinturuth met his gaze with his own. Unattainable. An ear swept sideways; did this mystery woman belong to another?

Regardless, Viinturuth would guard his brother's secret.

He was curious, though. He wanted to pry, to dig deep until the truth of it was unearthed. The pallid scout parted his jaws to question it, but his brother spoke first and he understood that this was Akavir's way of saying he was done talking about it.

Viinturuth exhaled, defeated. It was a topic for another day.

Nothing more, he said, though his thoughts drifted once more to the she-wolves who'd accepted his embrace. Viinturuth had considered boasting about his rare opportunity but, after hearing of Akavir's own misfortune in romance, he decided to keep it to himself.

fade here?

Viinturuth’s gaze bore upon him with questioning, but the dark man was thankful when the other Mayfair held his tongue. The report was succinct—drawing a haphazard smirk at the corner of the ebony wolf’s lips.

“Let’s hunt,” he suggested. He didn’t want to share in his feelings. He didn’t want to commiserate, or mope. He didn’t even want to think.

For now, he simply just needed to do.

Viinturuth was watchful of Akavir, his eyes searching for any shift in his brother's features that might reveal something more to him. He knew pain pulsed beneath the surface, but what he looked for was some small sliver of guilt that might suggest he'd betrayed Eshe. His desire to prod fir more details remained, even when the raven-pelted Alpha suggested they hunt.

The pale wolf said no more. Akavir would share more of it when he was ready, and Viinturuth woukd be there to listen.

They moved on, setting pace together in search of a suitable prize to claim.