Bearclaw Valley does my name sting your tongue now does it babe

@Noma

He picked his way carefully to the wide maw of the valley, his heart hammering against his ribcage. Why did he still feel this way, after everything that had happened since he'd last laid eyes on the girl? Shouldn't he be over it by now? But no - he still loved her. There was an ache in his chest that was as familiar as the scent he followed, and as he reached the edge of the budding pack's claim, he realized that it had never really gone away.

He still dreamed of her. He still worried. He still longed to see her happy again.

He thought he'd never see her again.

Tilting his head back, the male gave a long, low howl. A question, a name.

Adeline?

Having her freedom doesn’t mean much if she follows along with him but it does give her the chance to walk away without worrying she’s being followed. Part of her knows that it is still a chance for him to do but he has Sif and Poet to worry about, wanting to give her space too. She doesn’t know what she’s looking for as she meanders through the valley, ears lax against her head and her posture neutral. She doesn’t want to draw any attention to herself if she can help it. Her still-thin form moves quietly through the edge of the valley without too much thought.

Until she hears the song.

Immediately, she knows the source and she realizes just how close he is. It is a low sounding call for her ears only and she just so happens to be close enough to hear it. It likely didn’t travel too much farther, either. Slowly, she sinks down, closes her eyes, and tries to find herself in all of this. She thought, maybe, the girl inside had died but the flame licks the inside of her chest and she forgets how to breathe, unable to release the new fire burning her insides.

She does not fall out in response, or move an inch more, trying to find her center. It has been so long, awash with feelings she’d tried so hard to shove away and forget, only to be faced with his presence not so far away now.

There was no response.

Grayday stood in the darkness for several long moments, wondering if he'd somehow been mistaking, but knowing that he had not. Adeline was here, and she must have heard him. He knew it deep in his aching bones. The girl was simply not answering him.

That was okay. He understood her reticence, and began to wonder himself if he ought to be there at all. But he loved this girl; she'd been everything to him once, and even now, she was something between Madonna and his very own child. In his dreams, she was an angel. She was young, she was grown, she was dead, she was still yet to be born. The male could not help but feel that his love for her transcended all things. Something Aditya had said to him returned - perhaps we've lived and loved together many times before​.

It was a comforting thought. Their paths had separated in this life, but maybe next time, they'd be kinder.

Lifting his head, Grayday gave another howl, this one longer and more varied than the first. Sorrow and longing. Hope. Love.

Adeline. Adeline. Adeline.

And then the sound faded out, and Grayday took a deep breath before turning and beginning a slow march back to Easthollow's borders.

She doesn’t know how long she waits those long, painful moments. Her legs feel weak beneath her and she tries to tell herself it isn’t real. The scent is a memory clogging every thought process she has and the howl hadn’t really been there at all. She slowly closes her eyes and her joints bend, lowering her to the ground less everything give out beneath her.

Another howl touches her ears and her breath lodges in her throat. Pain pricks at the back of her eyes and a shaky breath releases, letting another moment pass by once it comes and goes. This time she knows it’s real.

Her words slam from one side of her mind to the other and she clenches her eyes shut, feeling the ache travel down to the pit of her stomach and wreaks havoc. Lips part enough to let out a low, mourning howl in return. It remains close to the ground and likely does not reach as far as it needs to but she cannot make herself move any closer.

He was still retreating when a low, distant call reached his ears, seeming to slam into him like a ton of bricks despite its weakness. The male's legs wobbled, torn between continuing on and turning back, running back, covering her in kisses and hiding her away from the sorrow that rang out in her voice.

Grayday took a deep breath and sat down, his heart still reaching in two directions: Happiness, and the girl he still loved. The next call that came out was mournful as well. I'm sorry. And then, Are you alright?

He waited, eyes closed and ears straining.

At first, she does not expect a response. She can’t tell exactly how far away he is and she’d made such a pitiful cry. When his return does touch her ears, she chokes out something between a gasp and a silent sob. It has been so long since she’d felt her chest so tight and restrictive.

She’d ended up in the cuesta some months ago to find it abandoned. It pulls at every fiber she has to feel I never want to see you again turn into only feeling like she needs to see him again. She does not even try to move and get closer, knowing she wouldn’t be able to put an ounce of effort when she can’t even return the howl, shrinking further into the ground as if it might open up and swallow her whole.

There was no response. Grayday waited, but eventually, it became clear that she was no longer listening. Apparently, he was still unforgiven. And that was okay - he didn't need her forgiveness. Whatever he had done to her was long behind them, and wherever she was in life had nothing to do with him.

Feeling lighter, now, the male continued back toward his family, ready to close his eyes and sleep.