Blacktail Deer Plateau There’s someone I’ve been missing
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ooc: Osprey's goodbye thread. @Atticus @Peregrine

Osprey hadn't returned to Peregrine after their row, because her plans hadn't changed and nothing she could tell him would make him happy. He had his own troubles to deal with and she didn't want to burden him more. To take her mind off the unfinished business with him, she began preparing for her journey. The first thing she did was to move out of Blue Willow's den, having found a temporary place to stay. The next - she hunted as much as it was possible in her state to get more strength. The wilds didn't welcome the weak after all and she had no idea, how long her adventure would take.

The only thing that she had not decided yet was, when to leave. Somehow the right moment got postponed day after day and it was both irritating and frustrating to her. There was the need to resolve things between her and her brother on one side and the fear of another quarrel and rejection on the other. However something that had happened this morning had convinced her that it was time. She had gone to practice fishing in the nearby river, splashing around more than actually catching one of the fish, when something had caught her eye.

At the bottom of the shallower part of the river lied a fist-sized rock, in a beautiful honey-brown color reflecting the early morning sunbeams. It was beautiful and in a way reminded a little sun itself. Osprey went over to examine it and eventually dipped her muzzle in the water, grasped the rock and pulled it out. She stared at it for a very long moment and felt, how her sadness disappeared, as if someone had pushed the clouds away from the sun. She knew, what she had to do.

Several minutes later she was standing near Peregrine's family home, holding the rock between her jaws, her heard beating hard against her ribcage because of the effort it had taken her to run the distance here. She put her gift by her paws, let out a quiet bark and sat down to wait.
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Ooc — Kat
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#2
Peregrine still didn't like the fact that Osprey intended to leave in search of Crete. He just didn't approve. Crete was an adult who could take care of himself (and take responsibility for his actions) and there was no reason to believe he'd done anything but walked away from a sticky situation. Of course, Peregrine would like to know for sure... yet he certainly wasn't willing to lose his sister's loyalty for it. He thought of telling Osprey he would send an Outrider after Crete if she wanted peace of mind but Peregrine knew his sister's mind was set, so he stomped out that idea like a cigarette beneath the heel of his shoe.

The inevitable call came and Peregrine walked out of the den, his heart heavy. By some stroke of luck, Hawkeye and Kisu had taken the pups elsewhere and so the two were alone. He walked up to his sister, quirking an eyebrow at her when he saw the object in her mouth. He sighed lightly, then licked the sculpted cheekbone beneath her left eye. The two of them would just have to agree to disagree on this entire situation, yet nothing could change the way he felt about Osprey, nor the closeness they shared.

"I will save a space for you as long as I can, Oss, and think of you every day you're gone. Please just come back to me when you've found the answers you need," the swarthy Alpha male said simply, holding her gaze.
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Osprey's heart leaped in joy, when she saw Peregrine and, even though the fact that he disagreed with her leaving was evident, he walked over and greeted her just as always. Things hadn't changed between them and this meant a lot to her. He was her centre of the world after all, her best friend and soul-mate. Losing him would mean losing a very important part of her. Therefore she smiled at him sincerely and nuzzled the fur at the side of his neck in return.

"So will I," she replied. "Look," she beckoned to the rock by her feet, "I got a present for you." Osprey then cast a quick glance around, looking for a decently sunny spot and found one. She picked up her gift and went over to put it in the sunlight. It reflected the light a little and glowed like an ember. "Funny, little trinket I found in the river. Rational minds will find an explanation, why it is the way it is - but for me - I think someone trapped a bit of sunlight in the stone," she looked at her brother, beaming.

"And you are one of the people, who needs the sunlight the most."
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Ooc — Houkie
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#4
Is it OK if I assume Atti knows about Osprey's plans to leave? I feel like it'd just be awkward for him to find out now, lol. Let me know if either of you has any issues with that and I'll gladly edit my post. :)

He wasn't far from Peregrine's den -- he never was, really -- when he heard the soft bark of his sister's voice gently break the stillness. His heart immediately lurched, a sickening and heavy combination of emotions washing through him at the realization that today's the day. He had heard of Osprey's wishes to leave in search of their brother not long ago, and while he didn't agree with or approve of the idea, he knew how his sister was and he knew he couldn't stop her or change her mind. He had no right to. But their time together had been so short, and she had been so sick all the while, that he couldn't bear the thought of letting her go again.

He appeared as she was showing Perry a beautiful golden stone, and lovely as it was, he could see no beauty in what was happening. His face was somber and his eyes misty as he approached her and nuzzled her gently on the shoulder. Were it not for Perry's children and the ever-present need to protect and provide for them, he would've asked to accompany Osprey, if only to know she'd be safe.
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#5
She presented him with the stone now and Peregrine couldn't help but think, What? To remember you by? As if I could forget? He didn't voice these thoughts aloud, of course, and showed a great measure of graciousness when he accepted her gift with a nod and even a wan smile.

When Atticus materialized beside him, Peregrine exchanged a look with his brother and he could tell, from that single, brief glance, that they felt exactly the same way about this situation. His heart skipped a beat when it suddenly occurred to him that their brother might want to escort Osprey. A flash of pain glittered in the Alpha male's dusky eyes, quietly begging Atticus to stay.

"You're right," he said belatedly, turning to face their sister again, "I will need as much sunlight as I can get." He paused, hesitated, then looked at Atticus and decided to explain. His brother knew part of the story from that brief encounter between the two of them and Hawkeye, yet he wanted to fully elucidate his sibling. "I'm not sure Hawkeye and I are going to make it," he revealed simply.

Once again facing Osprey, he said, "And the timing really sucks but I won't rub your face in it. When you come back, I hope you're happier, healthier and that you've found your peace of mind, Silver Bullet." This time, his gaze remained fixed on Osprey, relegating Atticus to the background. Once she left, the two of them would have plenty of time to talk, as the last two standing.
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Atticus arrived soon after and Osprey returned his greeting by giving him an affectionate lick on the forehead and smiling. She knew that he wasn't happy with her decision either, but he hadn't voiced it aloud or tried to argue with her. Osprey was a very flexible person most of the time - adjusting rather than fighting for her truths. However, when it was about things in a bigger scale and she had her mind set on something, no one could change that.

"It means a lot to me - thank you!" she told Peregrine and then turned to Atticus. "Take good care of him," because now that she would be gone, there had to be someone Perry could confide in and rely on. It was sad that the love story, which had begun between him and Hawkeye so beautifully and had come to a quick end. If he didn't have faith in it, then she could only wish him to find happiness again elsewhere.

"Look out for each other," she said, regarding each with a stern gaze and then smiled, "I will think about you every day."
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Ooc — Houkie
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#7
Atticus attempted to smile when she kissed him on the forehead, but it was only his lips moving. The smile didn't reach his eyes. In his pale eyes, there was only a forlorn sadness, the empty ache of so many things kept unsaid. He returned her kiss, his tongue flicking affectionately on her cheek and chin.

When Peregrine mentioned that he and Hawkeye weren't going to make it to him as an explanation for all the talk of sunshine, Atticus felt only a tiny flicker of surprise. He'd sort of seen it coming, especially after their last encounter. Perry hadn't said much at that time, but Atticus knew his brother and he'd been able to deduce quite a bit on his own. He looked at Perry in a way that said, I'll be here for you if that happens, bro. There was no interest left in him for Hawkeye, only concern for his brother. He wasn't sure how this breakup would affect Perry.

"Be safe," he said, his attention returning to Osprey. "Come back to us some day, okay?"
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Ooc — Kat
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#8
Peregrine had said everything he had to say and, though he wanted to prolong her departure, he remained silent. He looked at her, trying to memorize the way she looked so he could recall her face whenever he wanted. She didn't look as healthy as usual, though she was still beautiful to him. And perhaps she would look better when she returned to him, to them.

"Love you, Yerpso," he murmured, using her recently preferred nickname. He couldn't smile but he looked at her with all the brotherly fondness in the world. At the same time, his stomach pinched as he realized the moment—the moment when she'd actually leave, walk away from the plateau and disappear into the wilderness—had finally come.
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#9
"I definitely will," Osprey replied, because "someday" was easier to promise than giving her word to return in a month or two. Her experience in making meaningful journeys was limited, but she knew that despite your best planning, something could always change or go wrong. She had no idea, how long it would take her to find Crete or if she would find him at all, but the process of looking and giving her best shot at it, was the thing that was the most important.

"I do too," she returned, coming nearer to Peregrine and pressing her forehead against his neck in an affectionate gesture. She would miss him, of course, and if it had been possible, she would have taken both of them with her. Like in the old days, when they had played "knights and dragons", where every quest involved taking a long and dangerous journey.

Osprey retreated from them then, took one last good look at them, memorizing every single detail, and sighed. It was time. "It's not a goodbye," she said. "It's see you later!" With that said she turned around and left them there, heading towards the borders of the plateu and after crossing them, to the big world that awaited her.
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#10
When she pulled away and disappeared into the woods, Peregrine stood there feeling like he'd been sucker punched in the gut. His entire body drooped and he had difficulty swallowing past the lump in his throat. It really was as if she'd taken away his sunlight when she'd crossed the borders and now the rainstorm was readying to crash down on his head. Pondering this metaphor, he sullenly put a paw over the sunlit rock.

"Fuck," he breathed quietly, finding himself leaning against Atticus and trying not to cry like a little bitch. "I hate that the four of us have been split up like this. Promise me, you'll stay with me, man. Promise me," he begged of his brother. Whether or not he'd hold Atticus to it remained to be seen; but, in this moment, Peregrine desperately needed his last sibling left standing.
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Ooc — Houkie
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#11
As Osprey said her final goodbyes and then made for the borders without further ado, Atticus felt a piece of himself being removed from his heart and taken with her. He knew he'd never feel complete again until his sister returned and restored their family to what it had been, or at least what they'd all managed to cobble together in the wake of Tyrannus's destruction. He hated seeing her leave them like this, hated seeing what it did to Peregrine who was, by no small measure, far closer with Osprey than the rest of them were. As bad as he himself felt, he knew it was exponentially worse for his brother.

These thoughts hit home when he felt Peregrine sag on him, deflated and dejected. His brother's voice was strained and Atti knew that while Perry might not cry now, there would likely be some big tears later. Peregrine begged Atticus to promise him that he'd always be here, and for the briefest instant, Atticus wondered if he could truly make that promise. The temptation to depart and follow his sister and, at the very least, ensure her safe passage until they reached more familiar territory, was pretty powerful in that moment. But he thought of his beloved little nieces and nephew and knew without a shadow of a doubt that his place was here. He leaned against his brother's shoulder and draped his neck over Perry's shoulders, a gesture of comfort, support, and warmth. "I promise," he said softly, feeling it deep in his heart. "I'm not going anywhere, bro."