Broken Boulder don't look at this if u don't like poop

backdated to uhh the 9th or 10th or somewhere in there srry guys
@Delight @Seabreeze @Olive @Ibis @Kaali
also sticking a few pack member tags in here, anyone is welcome ! @Korei Julia @Khali @Bunyip

It's not a long journey, but it's definitely a lot slower with children. He guides them to the Sanctuary with little trouble— except for the damn kid. Séamus or something; turned out there were three adults and four kids, so naturally Alarian is stuck carrying the squirmiest child. When he's not twisting and writhing in his grasp, the pale child grumbles and calls for his mother constantly— honestly, it's insufferable.
So when they finally get there and the boy's wriggling intensifies, Alarian is more than happy to march past the borders, lower his head, and gently spit him out. mleh. He glances behind him, waiting a few beats for the three women to catch up, and when everyone is situated he lifts his muzzle and calls for his partner.

time slips into routine, away from him, settled somewhere precariously between peaceful and anxious. too quiet is bad, despite it being all delight wants -- better than too noisy, maybe, but still, he doesn't know alarian well enough yet to feel safe in trying to puzzle out these unreadable silences. the chancellor's time is spent occupied by his children, trying to, in some small way, make up for their lack of motherly presence with his own (and boy, that's its own host of feelings he's not really ready to sort out yet). 

things are probably more okay than he expects them to be when you get right down to it.

delight leaves the children with @Eris as he's summoned, curious -- it's not like a, hey come here call, it sounds like official business and how often does that happen -- until he's close enough to see and then his whole face lights up joyously. 

there's a lot of children (okeanos and ibis, he remembers, though the other two he doesn't know) and a pair of women, one of which with an ethereal sort of aura that puts him at ease in the same breath it reminds him of mato, and then there's seabreeze with alarian. the remaining distance between the party and him he closes in a burst of renewed energy, moonsoft eyes switching between seabreeze and alarian as if he can't quite decide who to address first until at last "what are you doing here?" escapes him with an infectious laugh. "um i mean -- seabreeze -- it's -- i'm so glad to see you," he bursts out, though his smile starts to twist  into something anxious as he considers what could have brought them here (and how did they find alarian in the first place?) "is everything okay?" he asks, glancing to his partner and back -- wondering, actually, if he knows that delight knows a third of this little cohort.

She might be happier to see him if she were not exhausted, and if Seamus was not throwing a fit, and if Alarian's mood had not been dampered by her protesting children.  She offers Delight a weary smile, then turns to press her nose against Olive's shoulder.  

Rest.  They can rest now.  She returns her attention to Delight.  Yes and no.  I am glad to be here.  I am so happy to see you.  There was some trouble with Sunspire.  But she does not elaborate, not yet.  Not now.  She is too travelled and weary to go into everything, but the way Delight's face lights up keeps her from abandoning the scene and immediately sleeping for forty-eight hours.

her luck has gone from bad to worse.

she thinks she has lucked out with seabreeze and olive, so obviously enamored with each other--and for a sapphic love like that, she can live with the male children. perhaps raise them to be better, more in the image of these matriarchs. she has been content, so far, if not pleased.

but the arrival of the scrawny wretch--feminine, true, but clearly a male--and then another dark-cloaked man brings her spirits down further than she thought possible. Kaali cannot hide her disgust at the sight of them, and she sets down the pup she had been carrying before taking a step back, breathing slowly but violently through her nostrils.

she stays for a while, toward the rear of the group, while they converse, but after a time she departs, not knowing when--or perhaps, even, if--she will return.

Olive had needed her, then. but it is clear to Kaali now that these women are bound and determined to rely on men once more--

and that is an existence that Kaali cannot--

will not--

live.

When hope lingered just on the horizon, it was difficult to get Olive down. Sure, the children might have been fussing and her weary paws might have ached, but they were away from the deathplace of her husband and her baby and her happiness. Seabreeze’s connections had come through for them, though she was not quick to count her ducklings before they hatched. Situations were ever-changing, Olive knew this, but the fae felt truly safeguarded by Seabreeze, in a way that she knew she could truly rely on.

If it has been up to Olive, her family might have wandered aimlessly until they all perished.

The trio — now quartet, with the introduction of Alarian — did not have to go much farther to find the borders of the man’s home. He had opened their doors to them in their time of need, and Olive found herself noting that the same sanctuary was a true ringer for the openness and hospitality they offered a group of seven, where more than half were unable to hunt.

But, upon crossing the borders, Kaali had fled in way that left Olive somewhat unsettled. Had the fae known the woman better, the reason behind her flight might have been obvious; but alas, Olive was left wondering, swallowed her grimace, and turned her head to regard to two leaders who had welcomed them so graciously. She deposited Eleuthera upon the ground and summoned a smile; it was not a difficult thing to do.   “Oh, I am Olive, and these are my children, Eleuthera and Séamus,” she noted, jostling the lilac girl who sat squat at her ankles. She wanted to say more, so much more! but this was not her place, for she was a stranger amongst friends, so she gave a demure bow with a flick of her chin and deferred back to Seabreeze.       

Khali had been somewhat absent from the pack life, he could honestly say he didn’t know what was going on around too much. When he heard Alarians howl for Delight he decided to investigate, maybe even ask for an update from them to keep himself in line from now on. He was on the borders sniffing before he looked in the direction of the howl and took off. 

He trotted up to the others and looked at them. There were a few wolves he didn’t know but that didn’t alarm him as he didn’t know many in the pack because he kept to himself most of the time besides his conversation with Lily some time ago. “Hello, I’m Khali” he offered to everyone so he didn’t make anyone feel left out. He gave a welcoming smile even though it was out of character for him.

He feels oddly out of place in this scene as Delight approaches, but he swallows the feeling; this is a happy moment, and it's not for him to ruin. Secretly he hopes Seabreeze's arrival will help soothe the ache of Queenie's departure — she's a mother, after all, and Delight's friend. She seems much more suited to both roles than Queenie ever had.
He lets the others speak at first, noting the third woman's departure with some concern. He hasn't caught her name, but he can tell she's not pleased to be here. I ran into Seabreeze not far from the Sanctuary, He explains, forcing his attention back to the conversation. They were on their way here.
Khali's arrival interrupts him; it's unexpected, but welcome. He offers a smile and a nod as greeting, feeling a little guilty; he hasn't seen much of him since he joined the Sanctuary, but he seems nice enough.

Permission to skip and end the thread have been given. <3

She nudges forward Ibis and Okeanos as Olive introduces her children and offers their names for the gathering as well.  Kaali leaves and someone else replaces her, offering his welcome.  Funny, his name is Khali too.  She offers him a warm, if not tired smile before she responds, Thank you, Khali.

She tells the reason for their arrival to Delight and Alarian, and the group are allowed to stay in the Sanctuary.  Seabreeze and her growing family are shown to the dens.  She promises to catch up with Delight after she's had a good, long nap.