Hideaway Strath look at the fire and think of me

for @Nathaniel :) thought they could do some exploring outside the packlands

before dawn, the mayfair girl was awake, stretching in the darkness and departing her den with an unfurling of her scarlet tail. she did not cross the border before she gave a small series of low yips for nathaniel to join her. her traveling was at the pace of wolf-trot; the sun had not yet climbed to its height in the sky when she found herself at the mouth of a deep and snow-filled valley.
"whoa," the girl murmured under her breath, a shiver climbing her spine. along the sides of the valley, mountains reared in high teeth of stone; no escape was possible, save for the path on which she now stood. the mayfair thrummed with anticipation, but she would wait for the word of the muscular soldier.

Nathaniel hadn't been sleeping when he heard the call, though he probably should have. He was hunting, not sure what he intended to do with his spoils because he was the furthest thing from hungry but too agitated to stay still. The ex-soldier had figured he would feed his dying father again, if nothing else. But when the girl called for him, it was a bit of a relief.
Normally he might have been irritated with it, or confused-- few had any reason or business disturbing him at this hour. Maybe he was fond of the little Mayfair. Or maybe he just didn't want to be alone anymore.
He was already carrying a rabbit, and as soon as he identified the direction of the call he set off after her. It dangled limply from his mouth, almost forgotten now that his thoughts were overtaking him. The call hadn't sounded distressed, but that didn't mean it wouldn't be bothersome. The girl was young still-- no doubt getting into some foolishness and dragging him along because he looked like he could help. Oddly enough, he didn't mind too much.
Part of him almost looked forward to seeing if she had anything interesting in mind; Nathaniel would never deny that he lacked in the interesting ideas department. If left to his own devices (which he often was these days) he would do nothing but his duties and the rest of the time would be spent brooding-- just in case anyone wanted a summary of his time so far at Tindómë.

When the ex-soldier caught sight of the familiar fiery pelt, his tail automatically began to wag a little. He dropped the rabbit next to Mona as he approached, gaze following hers to the snowy valley. Great.
Fancy a bite to eat, little firebird? It was what he had been thinking of her as, since he had joined the pack only to find she was off on some adventure. In a way, it was endearing; now that he had made the analogy, Nathaniel couldn't bring himself to try and talk her out of any further exploring. What was a bird if it could not fly?

mona was young, but not so foolish as to dash headlong into the strange valley without accompaniment. that was where nathaniel came in — unbeknownst to her, the soldierly man had already suspected as much. however, she was youthful enough to have traveled without breakfast, and felt the glissade of hunger in her belly. nathaniel's tread was welcome, as was the depth of his voice; the mayfair girl turned with delight wreathing her features and sought to joyously lick his cheek. "mister rochester! look what i found," mona exclaimed, stepping forward to indicate the valley with a wide wave of her plume.
belatedly, she realized the man had brought both food and a nickname; shyness colored her countenance now and she smiled bashfully at nathaniel. "firebird," came her thoughtful repetition. "i like that." wanting him not to think she was nothing more than a silly blushing girl, the nuro gave a sharp nod. "i didn't eat before i left, which was pretty dumb. have you eaten?" came her inquiry, the mayfair pulling back the paw she had extended toward the rabbit's limp body. it was only polite to ensure he had broken his fast first; after all, only one of them had been smart enough to hunt.

Even at the peak of his life, Nathaniel couldn't remember receiving such a fond greeting-- it caught him off guard, and for a flash he was uncomfortable. He did not move away, however; something like warmth spread under his fur at the lick to his cheek, something that reminded him of being much, much younger. Nat wasn't a fan of being reminded of his youth.
He smiled anyway, genuine and pleased that-- that she was pleased to see him. Later he would chide himself, disappointed that his life was in such a sad state that all one needed to do to earn his friendship was be eager to see him. For now, the ex-soldier found himself only thinking of the firebird who had just lifted his mood so effortlessly. That Mona kept calling him 'Mister Rochester' only gave him pause for a moment before he decided that, too, was endearing about her.

Yes, I've eaten. Nat lied easily, nudging the rabbit towards her. The idea of eating was revolting at best in his present state, and he thought the truth might prompt an argument from her. He sat next to the girl, waiting for her to eat what he had brought and then maybe drag him off into that valley, if he was unlucky. In response to her previous statement, he added: That's what I'm here for, firebird. Well, he liked to think so, anyway; Nathaniel couldn't be called the nurturing type, no, but he tried. Sometimes.
Impressive find. He gestured to the valley before them after a few beats of silence. And it was-- almost enough to make him forget how little he wanted to go there. The ex-soldier thought, with no small amount of sarcasm, that Mona was lucky she was so endearing.

nathaniel was no less stoic than he usually was, but their current status as wolves of tindome, both of them, had given her a minor insight into the stark-eyed creature. preparing herself to think on this, mona pulled the rabbit toward her and began to pluck its downy fur, choking with a decidedly graceless sputter when she invariably inhaled some of the tiny hairs. now burning with true shame, the girl took careful bites, and when she had finished, cleaned the blood from her jaws with a lash of her tongue before preening the red stains from her chestfur. 
mona's murkwater gaze regarded nathaniel as she primped; his cool indifference toward the valley, despite his gentle congratulations, was all but palpable. however, the girl could not fathom how any adventurous creature did not want to explore a land she suspected was rich in hidden prey and landmarks meant only for the eyes of brave wolves. and what was the rochester if not brave? mona was fairly certain that beneath his thickly furred and scarred hide, there lurked stories that begged to be told.
"well," the mayfair began, pushing away the remains of the rabbit. "that was very good." a light of mischief lit her gaze; mona's lips curved into a small bow and she turned her slender hips and took several steps into the valley. "i'm off now; i hope a gigantic bear doesn't eat me," the girl called over her shoulder in a sing-song voice, giggling to herself as she continued her pathway into the uncharted land.

Nathaniel only peered at the girl for a moment, to be assured she was alright, when she choked on the rabbit hair. He kept his gaze mostly to the valley-- he had already decided if she went, he would go with her. Wasn't like he had a choice.
The ex-soldier assumed she would ask him to go with her, and was entirely surprised when she was suddenly up and moving with an unceremonious farewell. He stared for a moment, then sighed. Again, it wasn't like he had a choice; evidently she knew that too, from her mention of being eaten by a bear. Nat got to his feet and moved to follow her, catching up easily.
Don't worry. He tried unsuccessfully to hide his sarcastic grin, keeping slightly behind her. If you get eaten by a bear, I'll make sure he doesn't make a mess.

mona smirked to herself as she heard nathaniel's trudge and commentary in the snow behind her. presently, her footsteps brought to mind something a woman had once told her, about walking as a lady would. suddenly scandalized at her puppyish trot and childlike gaiety, mona immediately slowed her pace to more sedate steps, mincing through the cold powder of newfall. 
the feeling brought with it a quick rush of relief; her shifting gait was certain to make her seem her actual age, rather than a prattling child, but unbeknownst to mona, it had the added effect of swaying her hips. naively unaware of her faux pas, the yearling mayfair traveled for several yards before a glint of red caught her eye.
"oh, look, mister rochester!" mona gasped, eyes widening as she halted in her steps. "cairdinéal," came her whisper then, one of the few gaelic words she'd retained from the little of her history taught to her. the girl's face tilted toward nathaniel to see his reaction, eyes alight with a pure joy at the brilliant scarlet worn by the small avian.

The ex-soldier was keeping an eye out for danger, gaze drifting between Mona and the valley around them. He was quick to notice the change in the girl-- the difference in her demeanor, the way she walked. Unbidden, his gaze fixed on her swaying hips for a moment. Then he ripped his eyes away, scolding himself: she's a child!
He was startled at himself, for a second. Now that the observation had formed into coherent thought, he realized how wrong he was. The evidence had been there all along, but he had chosen to ignore it in favor of his own bias-- still, she was not as young as he thought. The realization gave him some reprieve from his shame.
Nathaniel was still feeling some odd sort of way, though, when Mona suddenly stopped and whispered his name. Piercing blue eyes were instantly drawn to that which had captured her attention. He smiled. Perhaps before Eirene, he wouldn't have thought of it in such a way-- but these days he knew. This was a sign. The ex-soldier looked to his firebird, the girl with a pelt of flame and eyes like a rainforest, and found himself enchanted by the wonder on her face. Gruffly, awkwardly, for he was unused to such displays, he licked the fluffy outside of her ear. He had no words for this moment, partially for fear of scaring off the bird she seemed so taken with, but he hoped he had expressed something like friendship.

he welcomed her delight with a smile of his own, and mona looked back at the bird. preparing no doubt to launch into some story about how her father — casmir — had loved cardinals, and what he had told her about them, mona shifted her position at the same time she felt nathaniel's warm lick along the downy shell of her ear.
shocked beyond belief, mona stumbled in her small repositioning, her red shoulder jabbing into the plush pelt along that of the militarily built man. the movement was swift and the rochester could be forgiven for considering that mona had flinched against him in response to his touch. face afire beneath its covering of crimson velvet, the girl swallowed hard, letting her gaze apprise the snow between her small forepaws as if it were the most interesting thing in the world to her.
her natural curiosity made her first wonder why he had done it, but mona bit back the words, thrumming with an odd sort of feeling she could not describe. she was being so stupid! going giddy for the first wolf she met since leaving rowan and casmir, save for delight. but of course there was something undeniable about the grim creature with his slow smiles and eyes that he normally wore with a coldness to his feature, something she wanted very much to understand.
mona shot her guardian a shy look and pulled away from him apologetically, scuffing the snow at her toes. where should we go next? she wanted to ask, but the words didn't come. what arrived was a sudden impulsive thought, and she suddenly leapt away, feinting to snap gently at the air near nathaniel before she danced aside, urging him to keep pace as she begin a swift run into the valley.

just in case anyone is worried NO HE ISN'T DEAD I PROMISE

Nathaniel suddenly wondered if he had done something wrong when she flinched into him. He didn't shy away from the contact, studying her intently even as she looked away from him. Had she taken offense? The ex-soldier was about to apologize, but then she was moving again-- a playful snap at the air, and then she was running.
He let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding and ran after her. The shift was almost too fast for him to keep up with, but he welcomed the distraction from the slightly awkward moment. Nat let her lead for a few yards, then caught up to her with long strides. Again, he found himself ready to speak, but was interrupted.
This time not by his companion; one of the mountains looming above them echoed with an ominous crack. One by one, faster with each moment, more cracking noises fell upon his ears. It happened too quickly to think much-- all at once a handful of rather large rocks came racing down the side of the mountain towards them. Nathaniel's gaze snapped to his firebird, and he swept around towards her, using his body to shove her out of the rocks' path. He put force into the blow, muttering an inaudible apology for inevitably causing her some discomfort. The seconds between their collision and the arrival of the avalanche seemed to pass in slow motion.
He didn't have time to move, to even draw more than one breath-- his eyes fixed first on Mona, then on the coming rocks. Then the loudest of crashes surrounded him, crushed him with brutal fists, and he only saw the ground rushing up to meet him.

mona was a thing radiant with laughter; she heard behind her nathaniel's tread and then he was at her side, his strides powerful and effortless. she glanced sideways into his eyes, seeing there the blossom of something she wished to know, and her gaze flitted ahead; there, a stand of evergreens, and there they would stop, the girl decided.
before she was able to pull ahead with a lunge of her slender red hindquarters, the cracking above her caused mona to slow as her swampwater eyes searched for the source of the sound. more ripping tones; the girl's joy faded quickly and fear began to prickle along her spine.
she heard only nathaniel's voice, not his words, before the man's shoulder and flank slammed hard against her body. the girl cried out, stumbling into a tumble that threw her into a snowdrift some feet away. mona landed hard and fought for breath, even as the dull thuds of rocks falling to the white-blanketed earth sounded. but many of them did not merely land down into the valley; the mayfair shrieked terribly to see their jagged sides slam into her guardian.
it was over as soon as it had occurred; the nuro was already pulling herself from the snow to race toward the great wolf prone against the earth. however, it was a child's wonder that struck her first; the girl's eyes widened as she took in the sheer size of the rochester's body, then shook herself from her inane reverie. "mister roche —!" mona gasped, her voice breaking on the name as she began to claw medium-sized stones away from his head. "oh, please, oh please," the yearling hissed, licking frantically across his face. a metallic scent entered her nostrils; she jerked up her muzzle to appraise what she could see of his body. "wake up, wake up!" she moaned, going back to her ministrations. "nathaniel ... please."

Even through the blackness of his unconscious state, fire began to spread through his body. He could feel it radiating from certain points, covering him, overtaking him. For a few moments, Nathaniel was lost in the void, surrounded by scathing tongues of flame.
The frantic licks to his face roused him, as did Mona's voice, but he could not understand her words. He understood nothing for a moment-- nothing but the fact that she was here, she was alive. But... was she hurt? Finally he cracked one eye open, a distant, hazy expression on his face. The ex-soldier assessed her quickly, and through his fog a thought appeared.
I didn't hurt you, did I? He spoke without moving, voice rough. Nat did not speak more, did not move, but he kept his one eye open and on her. The other, he quickly realized, was soaked with blood-- he dared not open it to the metallic sting. For now, he breathed, told himself he was still alive, and waited for her answer. There would be time to move himself.

i've decided this is mona's theme :o

finally, at last, after what felt like years, the rochester's blue eye could be seen as he roused, and mona gasped with relief. "thank the sun," she swore lightly, backing away from the man a few inches so he could draw an unhindered breath. 
to his inquiry, the little mayfair gave answer by bursting into tears. the stress of her flight from rowan and casmir, their trek over the mountains — she wasn't sure where cortland was! — beginning a new life in tindome, all this culminated in the sight of nathaniel's battered body, nathaniel, who had been so kind to her. she had believed for a true moment he was dead.
"don't even ... don't worry about that, mister rochester!" she exclaimed, sniffling. "we need to get you out of here; you're ... there seems to be a lot of blood." mona worried her bottom lip with her fangtips. "shall i go back to tindome for help? no .. no," she mused, standing to her paws and glancing around the snowy valley. "i can't leave you here alone."

ooh I love it omg

 

Perhaps he should have expected the reaction, but the ex-soldier was lost in a thick head-fog following the collision, and Mona's sudden tears took him by surprise. Instantly he was distressed, and he lifted his head to get a better look at her. Worry flashed briefly in his normally masked gaze; why did she have to cry like that? Already something was strange about his mind-- sluggish and wandering ever-so-slowly off track, clouded thickly with buzzing pain. Concern for the girl washed away the rest of his ability to think, left him blank and instinctual without walls to defend against his crashing emotions.

Nathaniel took a breath, preparing, and clenched his teeth together just before he began to shift. It was without warning, half because he felt better not announcing it out loud. What strength he had left went into the movement, and after a couple of pained tugs he broke free of the crushing weights. A sigh escaped him. Carefully, ignoring that his own blood painted the scene and himself, he rose.
There was no way he could lean at all on his thigh now; distantly, he mused that he may never walk normally again. That the side of his face and head were soaked in crimson was only slightly less bothersome. He reached up with a torn, bloodied foreleg to wipe a bit fruitlessly at the thick congealing blood surrounding his eye. It didn't help much. But he could open his other eye, now, and he turned to look again at Mona. A sharp pain in his chest almost stopped him, and he bit back a pained groan. Broken ribs.
But he had been through worse, and suspected he would again before the end.
When we get there... tell them it was a lion or somethin'. He said, tiredly but with a touch of sarcastic humor. Not a bunch of damn rocks.

mona scrambled backwards a few more paces when the soldierly male began to rise; even as she struggled to her feet awkwardly, nathaniel held the sum of her focus, her gaze darting across the blood that dripped thickly from his pelt, his tattered flesh, his odd stance, the sigh of deep pain he gave. the man was decidedly less than all right, and this galvanized mona into action.
sweeping to his other side, where she suspected the rochester favored his leg, the girl gingerly pressed herself near to him, though not to near to harm. "you ... you should lean on me, if we are about to be going," came the offer framed in a tremulous voice. please let me help you, her wide eyes asked of the injured guardian. after all, it had been her mad dash into this land that had injured him! so stupid! 
the girl set about fearfully chastising herself as she glanced 'round the place, searching for movement as she waited for nathaniel to respond.

In his clouded state, the ex-soldier could only choose one thing to focus on-- that ended up being Mona. When she drew near to him, he took the opportunity to sniff her over for wounds. It was only after he was satisfied that she was unhurt that he turned his gaze to her face again.
Calm down, firebird. He said quietly, undemanding but solemn in the request. Though he wasn't great at the whole shoulder to cry on thing, he felt responsible for her distress-- if he had been quicker... -- but that was not a thought for now. It'll be okay.
Nathaniel had a way of sounding absolutely certain of this; he almost was. After a few beats he shifted his weight, testing out each of his three working legs.
I can walk on my own. Trust me, you don't want me to lean on you. The second sentence held a bit of grim humor; it was a bad idea to him, given their difference in size. Let's just... walk slow. It wounded his pride a bit to request that the girl slow down for him, but he knew well that too much pride was foolish. It had almost killed him once, and he would not make the same mistake.

wrap this up and have a new one? <3

worried as she was, mona could not help the flutter in her chest that happened when nathaniel regarded her with such care. in spite of herself, the girl found herself flushing, as much over his ministrations as his low voice, rolling with pain. and good humour, the yearling noted, shooting him a wan smile from her somber lips. "all right."
her voice she intended as a low soothing hum, inching forward with half-steps that carried her on small paws. each few movements she looked up toward the man, assessing him for any signs of pain that would cause her to demand a halt. and as they walked gingerly across the snow, the girl's ears lifted at the sound of birdsong; sparrows chasing each other across the wolves' path.
mona parted her lips to speak, but suspected nathaniel would prefer not to be disturbed in his concentration. however, she continued to look for pretty things, spotting a shining stone, a green sprout, and the tracks of a squirrel.