Ravensblood Forest look how long this love can hold its breath

Set after Lotte’s joining thread but before Chaska and Evelyn’s. @Arturo and @Chusi, maybe? ♥

The burnt and bedraggled songbird lay listlessly on her side in the shadows of her new home, grimly clinging to life. As expected, the pads of her paws blistered and eventually sloughed, leaving raw, red flesh in their wake. Standing was agony. Walking was largely impossible. Thanks to Dakarai’s quick thinking, the burns along Lotte’s flanks, shoulders, and hips were all but healed — but the Ansbjørn girl wouldn’t be scouting or singing in the foreseeable future. Every day was an active fight. The first few days had been the worst: she had drifted in and out of consciousness, coughing and vomiting by turns, and every breath had been a struggle. Even now, approximately two weeks after the fire, her concave flanks forcibly pushed and pulled air with an unnatural amount of effort and a grisly rattling could be heard with each breath.

Although Lotte would never admit it to Dagfinn or Arturo, she’d briefly entertained the worry that she would die this way — but some of her natural pluck had returned to her as breathing got easier and she regained the ability to relieve herself with dignity. Her pelage, dusty and ragged with lost muscle mass, was threadbare and patchy where the fire had burnt it away — but her eyes glimmered with renewed brightness as a light snow began to fall, settling upon her dirty fur like stardust. She didn’t feel like wasting energy by lifting her head, but her coal-colored tail began a rhythmic thwpp-thwpp-thwpp! as the flakes tangled in her lashes and tickled her nose. Swallowing the mirthful laughter that curved her lips in a smile, wary lest it send her into a fit of coughing, she thought of Arturo and Chusi — they were a united force and a constant presence in her life now, though her memories of the past few weeks were spotty and blotted out with indelible ink. She wanted Dagfinn, but he was with her — he was the Laughter that waited patiently for its time and swelled her heart. I will come find you soon, my twin, she vowed, and we will climb mountains.

As if the cold had not been enough - her very first winter -, Chusi was both afraid and happy about Lotte. She was roughened up quite badly - sick and sometimes Chusi even thought she was dying. Even though their time together had not been terribly long, she still cared deeply for her big sis mother - as Arturo wanted her to call Lotte. Her happiness was Chusi's happiness, as if they were really related. It was so beautiful what they had crafted together - so unbelievable that one could find true family someplace else than where their blood relatives lay. Sen was not kind, her father she had never known - and now? She had Arturo, Teaghlaigh, Lotte and even Szymon and Doe with their pups!

Chusi had gone out that morning to catch something - having greatly improved her small-game hunting skills. She almost couldn't believe that she was almost an adult. Finally she would join the ranks truly - as a heir, no less! So happy yet so worried did she catch a plump rabbit. It was a whole meal in these wintery times, and she was proud of it, but a certain someone needed it more than she ever would. Swiftly she crossed the borders back into her home again, her nose sniffing out the scent of the roasted Lotte.

It was not long after that it began snowing - the soft snowflakes coating her back like a cape - a superhero in training! She almost zoomed between the massive trees and finally found the one she had been looking for. There she lay - coated also in snow, burned, cold but not yet defeated. With a whimper did Chusi place the meal near her and settled on her haunches. Heeeeyy... She greeted softly, not sure if Lotte had a headache or not.

Lotte is in this position.

The scent of fresh meat no longer turned Lotte’s stomach, so when Chusi arrived with a plump rabbit dangling from her jaws, the soot-stockinged rogue greeted her eagerly. “Chusi,” she breathed, her glorious alto reduced to a thready whisper, “what a — fine hunter — you are!” She remained in lateral recumbency, deciding that having a conversation was more important than attempting to sit upright. These days the songbird had to pick her battles, and she made do with stretching out her neck and pillowing her chin on the earth to look at the ocher-eyed girl she loved so much. She parceled out her oxygen intake in slow, rasping breaths to keep from coughing and offered the snow-dappled Oidhre her proudest smile.

“I am — glad — you were in — Teaghlaigh — ” Lotte eked out with painful slowness, “ — when the — fire came.” It would have killed Arturo to lose his daughter and heir. “You are — so very loved — perhonen.” Moonbright eyes beamed happily at the little superhero with her cape of frost and snow. A thought occurred to the singed nightingale then — one that ought to have been addressed before now, but nobody could have suspected that her hand would be forced before spring. “You have been — my pikkusisko, Chusi,” she hedged, “but your — isä — has asked to — court me.”

A mischievous smile tipped up the corners of Lotte’s mouth, but they quivered with a new uncertainty. Would Chusi approve of the match? “You spoke of — your mother — and I would — ” The girl paused for breath, throat working as she curled in on herself and coughed heavily; when she could, she resumed her former pose, lapped at the snow to cool the burn, and continued. “I would not — seek to — replace anyone but — someday I — will have children — and they will — call me äiskä. I hope they — will call you — isosisko, Chusi.” Slightly embarrassed, and wholeheartedly wishing she wasn’t having this conversation in gasping fits and starts, Lotte popped the question: “If you wish — you can call me — äiskä too — but only if — you wish it.” Would it be uncomfortable for the swiftly growing warrior? Lotte hoped that the different language would make things a little less weird; after all, she was reasonably sure that Chusi had either had a mama, mommy, mother, or mom before — but never an äiskä.

i am sorry for the crap quality of this post but i wanted to post something in here! <3 feb 11th edit. arturo is just going to hang in the background and eventually take his leave & allow chusi and lotte their bonding so you have my permission to skip him. :-)

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More times than Arturo dared to count had he feared for Lotte’s life as she coughed and vomited during her “recovery”; but it was the harsh rattling of her breath that tore at him like a festering wound, and knowing that he was helpless to help her only served to tear apart his heart with slow and exaggerated agony. During the worst of it he barely slept and very rarely left her side as he wondered if he had been watching his beloved’s life diminish before his eyes like a dying sun and accordingly all he could think about how dark his world would be if he lost her. Lotte had become the light in his life, his better half and now that she was actually apart of it Arturo could not imagine life without her other than to face the grim knowledge that if he had to he would not be the same. Arturo liked to believe that he knew his nightingale’s strength and as her recovery began to show in earnest he returned to his duties in full (thought checking in on her often).

After his patrol finished he backtracked, his long legs carrying him to where he knew he would find his beloved. His steps slowed as he came upon Lotte and Chusi, coming in on the tail end Lotte’s question — asked through gaps of breath that made him nervous — to Chusi. For the briefest of moments, he hesitated unsure if he should turn around and allow them time to talk woman to woman. He very nearly considered it, but instead lingered where he was, hoping that he did not draw attention to himself for while he wished to hear Chusi’s answer to Lotte’s question he didn’t necessarily want to intrude on their moment.

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The black, burned singer was seeming eager to see her, which warmed the girl's heart and yet also pained her. She regretted not coming to visit earlier, but also knew that it would have caused her even more pain to look at an even sicker Lotte. An appreciative, warm smile painted the stumbling hunter's face. She knew naught what to say - the scarfed female's words to kind to comment on. It was a compliment anyone could've given her, but it was more special coming from someone she looked up to and yet also saw as her equal. She watched as her sister mother friend relative placed her head in such a way that it looked kind of silly, but Chusi had gotten excellent at keeping things in.

Tears decorated the corners of her ochre orbs. No - I should've been with ya... I should've done somethin'... She said softly, refraining from getting too close to the already struggling woman. Lotte's next words came as no surprise - Arturo had told her of his plans to "court" her big sister. She was happy that Lotte did not mind putting up with her father and was glad her broken picture of family was slowly restoring itself. She giggled softly. I know - he's quite thah catch, isn't 'e? She commented, quite bravely so. Obviously, she meant nothing with it, and just wanted to focus on something else rather than what had happened.

She was reminded of Sen so suddenly that her smile disappeared and her mouth instead made the shape of an "o". She knew what having children meant now, and was very excited for some more pops, but it was a... weird thought also. The one she considered her sister having the dick of her father inside of her (as Ingram had so gruesomely told the story)? She tried not to think about it too much before the "o" made way for a smaller smile.

Mother, sister, isosisko, äiskä - we're related by heart... I wouldn't mind callin' ya my mother... She said gently as she decided to lie down with Lotte - not knowing her father was right there; watching.

“Little warrior — no need to cry,” Lotte whispered, her vocal cords automatically straining for a reassuring croon but falling sadly flat. Some days the littlest Ansbjørn worried she would never sing again. She tended to be a terrible patient, testing the limits of her body before it was ready to resume its former activities, but this was different. This was so close to death she saw the white wolf skull in her dreams, looming over her body while she did the only things she could do: breathe and lie still. “Arturo?” she asked, a soft huff of a laugh threatening a second coughing fit. She held her breath, speaking only when she was certain she could. “Yes, quite — a catch.” Lotte’s head began to swim — or was it just her eyes? — and she blinked muzzily up at Chusi. “At least I — did not have to — wait until spring — to come to — Teaghlaigh,” she quipped, her tail thumping cheerfully against the frost-dappled earth.

It touched the singed songbird’s heart to hear Chusi speak so frankly of matters of the heart, and a smile curved up her lips as she collected more snow upon her tongue and swallowed to soothe her throat. “Then your — äiskä I will be,” she vowed, savoring the girl’s nearness with a sigh that caused her bronchial tubes to spasm. She swallowed the cough down, her ribcage seeming to quiver as she caught her breath, and murmured somewhat discontentedly: “I am so — tired of being — bedridden.” Her voice was petulant. “I am happy — when you and — Arturo — are with me — but I am not — useful this way.”

Skipping Arturo with permission from Tori :)

Never in her life had she felt this hopelessly lost in a situation - not even when Zephyr had showed up at Teaghlaigh's borders or every moment with Ingram ever. She knew these were not truly matters to cry over  - Lotte still lived, however burned she may be for now, and that is what mattered. But the little girl had been so scared... so extremely scared of losing both her friend, big sister and mother all at once. She sniffled, rubbing her muzzle against her own shoulder to wipe away most of her tears as she burst into laughter instead. She knew naught what had made her this emotionally unstable at the moment, but she couldn't help not giving even just the slightest of shits.

I think we're all pretty glad wi' ya 'ere... She purred. Roasted 'r not. She joked, apologizing soon after with her ears lowering.

Chusi almost lit up knowing she now had both a father and a mother that loved her dearly, and she couldn't be much happier after the words left her mother's lips. She had to blink away some of her "happy tears" before snuggling Lotte with her muzzle - making sure to leave the needed breathing space. I know ya dun't like bein' like this - but ya'll be back on yar feet before ya know it! She encouraged her, quite sweetly (even for Chusi).

“Roasted!” Lotte repeated brightly, her dip in mood buoyed by Chusi’s quip. “Yes, better roasted — than stewed!” Drowning seemed far worse to the singed songbird than death by fire — not that what she was experiencing now was a walk in the park by any means. Carefully she adjusted her position, seeking to return the girl’s overtures of affection with a gentle touch of her muzzle. Gesturing toward the rabbit the little warrior had provided, Lotte suggested, “I have less — of an appetite — than I usually do — which is fortunate — for Teaghlaigh. Will you — share it with me — Chusi?”

Lotte wanted to make an effort to eat the rabbit the aspiring hunter had brought, even if she wasn’t particularly hungry at this very moment. She believed it would bolster Chusi’s self confidence and reinforce that her contributions to the Family were treasured and cherished. It hadn’t escaped the soot-stockinged rogue’s notice that the girl was unusually emotional — it was, after all, her business to notice things — and she whispered a song to the ocher-eyed Oidhre to help calm her down and comfort her.

“Nuku, nuku, nurmilintu.
Väsy, väsy, västäräkki.
Nuku, kun mie nukutan,
väsy, kun mie väsytän.”

After a beat, “It is a sleep-song,” Lotte explained, “but I cannot — sing right now.” Her expression clouded briefly but cleared as she reached for and held onto her natural optimism. “Anyway, it is — too early — for sleeping.” She looked earnestly at her tytär and asked, to distract them both, “What have you — been learning lately — perhonen? Have you had — any new — adventures?”

Skipping Arturo again with permission

She was glad her joke was not taken to heart and could appreciate the bright spirit of her soon-to-be mother. It was not long after that the attention was put upon the gift she had hunted for the sick and hurt Lotte - or for anyone; she could not remember anymore with this hurricane of emotions. She nodded gently, finding the idea to be a good one. As Lotte began her song, Chusi started ripping little pieces of rabbit and lay them close near Lotte. Her eyes half-closed as she relaxed, she made sure to not put too much and also not too little on the other's plate.

It's beautif'l. She commented - even with her voice strained and rough. Had she mentioned yet what a relief it was to have her here alive? She straightened herself, pulling the left over bits of rabbit to her but refrained from putting something in her mouth just yet. A lot 'f "leading a pack" lessons fr'm 'Turo. I walk the bord'rs, hunt 'n a whole lotta other stuff. She explained briefly, proud of what she ad achieved thus far. I kinda wanna scout 'nto the mount'ns one day - but 'Turo finds 't too dangerous.

The yearling moved like an old, decrepit woman as she reached for small strips of rabbit and slowly nibbled at them, chewing with meticulous care before finally swallowing. Her appetite wasn’t what it ought to have been, but she was slowly beginning to regain her strength. Between each bite she lapped at the melting snow that blanketed the ground, moistening her throat as she listened raptly to her tytär’s tale.

Swallowing a mouthful of rabbit, “You are — such a brave — intelligent — girl, Chusi,” Lotte praised warmly, her moonbright eyes glowing with pride. “Mountains — are dangerous — but so is hunting. So is — winter. Or swimming.” She shifted one shoulder in a blithe shrug; mountain climbing was probably one of the points upon which she and Arturo disagreed. “I think — we can try — together — when spring comes. Only on a — sunny day — in early afternoon. We want light — and dry ground — for your first — attempts. With me — and maybe your — Uncle Dagfinn.”

Although her tone was serious — Chusi was nearly an adult, and the dangers of mountain climbing could not be ignored or made light of — Lotte’s eyes sparkled fondly, and a smile shaped her mouth.

As Lotte ate, so did the little warrior (that was not so little anymore). Despite a lack of appetite, Chusi found the rabbit to be quite delicious and soon finished her part of the meal. She returned her attention to her new mother, almost shyly shining with pride at her words. It was all she ever needed to hear from her biological mother and yet it sounded much better coming from her real mother.

Her mouth agape and eyes growing wide, Chusi gasped. Ya mean it? She asked, almost knowing that Lotte would not get her hopes up for nothing. She gently nuzzled her if Lotte would let her, squealing softly. Thank ya, thank ya, thank ya!

Despite her fiery spirit, Lotte felt the weakness of her body all too keenly as she finished the meal Chusi had provided and settled her muzzle wearily upon her singed paws. Her tail thumped heartily at her tytär’s’s gentle nuzzle, and a rattling chuckle escaped her at the girl’s blithe excitement. “Of a certainty — I mean it, perhonen,” she warmly reassured the girl. Her expression clouded as she murmured, “Will you — forgive me? I am so tired — suddenly.” She hadn’t talked at such length since she had first succumbed to the smoke sickness, and although she wasn’t sleepy, the exhaustion of her healing body produced the same result. Against her will, her silver eyes began to drift closed, though she struggled to keep them open as she quietly intoned with a serene smile: “I love you, my daughter; rakastan sinua, tyttäreni.”

I'll archive so we can have a new one real soon ♥ (can't wait for the bebbies oml)

Of course she meant it - of course mother wouldn't get her hopes up just to crush her dreams. That was not Lotte - that was not like anyone she knew except for... There was no time to think about him. He had vanished - had left her without a word and she could do better. She always could do so much better, and yet kept falling for the men who disrespected both her womanhood and individuality. Lotte and Olive were lucky - Dakarai and Arturo were real gentlemen.

'course, mum... She purred, rubbing the little singer with another stroke of her muzzle as a sort of goodnight-kiss. She knew not to bother anyone sleepy, just as she didn't like to be bothered when she wanted to sleep. I love ya too... She whispered, picking up the rabbit bones to bury a little bit away from Lotte. It was rude to leave bones, Chusi found. Besides, if one day Lotte's pups would come, they could dig up all the bones Chusi had buried for them...