Heron Lake Plateau smiling in photos without any reason with people that i'll never know

for colt and then maybe niamh after a few rounds; other tags for reference

She felt a little better about her decision to stay in Redhawks since traveling with Towhee and Tegan.  She still felt a little bit like she had nobody here; she had avoided @Colt since he and @Niamh had gotten together, and she'd even been scarce around @Raven since her, uh, unfortunate declaration.

She'd needed time away from them all, and she needed time away from the Plateau.  Their trip to the Caldera had been a good distraction.  It had tempered her down a little bit; she was no longer angry and resentful.

She was just hurt.  She knew it was nobody's fault but her own.  And besides, who was she to encroach on anyone's happiness?  Colt had Niamh, Raven had Quixote, and Ceara had nobody; not even a good friend.  She got on well with Dirge but he lived far enough away she couldn't see him often, and @Ambrose?  Pfeh!  As if.

There were a number of things that needed tended to since their absence had taken longer than usual.  She spent most of the day weeding her garden, and then set about the borders.  She was pleasantly surprised to find the scent of @Caiaphas and her cubs had taken control of the borders in her absence, and it seemed as if the old woman patrolled about as often as she or Niamh did.

With little left to do, she approached the lakeside in the evening.  Maybe tomorrow, she would finally talk to Colt.

Colt was actually contemplating a trip of his own once the others returned.  He was content here; but his paws had an itch, and if Niamh was willing, he wouldn't mind a run.  She had responsibilities here, but he'd be happier goin if she could come along. He hadn't quite asked yet, though.

He'd noticed Fire's avoiding of him, and he'd be lying if he said it hadn't cut.  He loved Finley, but he'd felt like he'd actually been starting to get along with his younger sister well before she randomly started avoiding her.  He didn't think it something he had said when he'd spilled about Niamh, so tried not to take it personally.  And only about half succeeded.

Ceara might be an avoider, but her brother certainly wasn't.  So when he saw his sis on the lakeshore as he was heading back in for the night, he gave an easy shout.  "Ay! You're back then?!"  He assumed if she was the others were.

Oh.  Okay.  Or she could deal with it today, that was fine, too, she guessed.  She wasn't wholly prepared to deal with it, but at least now she didn't feel like she was a dangerous explosive thing about to burst at the seams.  Deflated was more like it.

Her ears flicked in his direction before she got the nerve to pull her head up, and she nodded.  It took longer than we expected.  Towhee got hurt, and we had to help her back.  Why, d'you miss me?

Colt frowned at the mention of Towhee being hurt, but didn't ask.  Either he'd heard or would hear, but he assumed Raven had it under control.  That was more her and Fire's domain; he couldn't assist much.

"Only if you're finally talking to me again," he said with a wry humor, quirking a small smile as he came to sit down next to the lake's edge as well.  He had no idea if her asocialness lately had been personal or general, but couldn't resist takin a friendly jab at it nonetheless.

She almost had the nerve to be upset over what he'd said.  A hurt look crossed over her face for a split second before she decided that his observation, joking or not, was correct.  She's not here to make up lies for herself anymore, and she couldn't get over being hurt if she never owned up to it.  She cast her cutting glare to the ground and gently swiped a paw over the cool earth.

I know you're joking, but, I'm sorry.  Her apology came out in one reluctant breath, and her ears flattened.  Niamh, she doesn't like me very much.  And for a while there, I was crushin' on her really hard.  But I'm over it now.  I've moved onto other unattainable romantic partners.

Raven had said it'd stay between them... but she really just wanted someone to talk to.  It's what I get, y'know?  For lovin' too hard.

Alright, it was a start.  Colt was always joking, but he did appreciate the apology; it sucked havin family pretend you weren't there.  

Oh shit though.  "Damn, sis.  I'm sorry."  If he had known that was even an consideration (heteronormative af, he definitely hadn't thought Fire swung that way) he... probably wouldn't have gone for her, honestly.  It was too late now though.  He'd passed the point of return.

"Nothin wrong with lovin too hard, or too many," he added, almost thoughtfully for Colt.  "I mean, waiting way too long worked for me, and I get the feelin Tegan isn't gonna have to worry for a while.  But sometimes I wish I'd figured it out sooner."  He shot her a look.  "Tell no one."  He had a god damn reputation to uphold after all.

"Wanna talk about it?"  Colt could be an ass, and he wasn't the most understanding of souls.  But most of that tended to drop when it came to family, at least in situations like this one.

She didn't know for sure that he would've have pursued Niamh, but that had been on the forefront of her mind while she'd kept her distance.  They seemed so happy now that she didn't really regret it, and she was happy that her relationship with Colt was so easily repaired.  

Maybe, although she resented to admit it even to herself, he was even easier to deal with than Tuathal.  She missed him and she hoped that wherever he was at he was doing well, but at least she had Colt.

I think Niamh was worth the wait, she teases lightly, you guys seem happy together.  She hadn't seen much of them but there was a glow to Niamh, and although Ceara was admittedly jealous of everything the golden girl had accomplished, at least Niamh was deserving of it.  

It's Raven, she says softer as she looks back down at the dirt, You can't tell anyone.  She said she wouldn't tell anyone.  She's just.. hard to get over.

"Yeah," he said, thinking on the wait.  It had been longer than expected, but for him, any shorter wouldn't have done it.

Then Fire dropped a bomb.  Colt stared for a minute, then shook his head.  "Shit sis, I won't.  But I tell you what... you've got some good taste."  He grinned.  He too had had eyes for Raven, though she and Qui had shacked up immediately after, far too quickly for him to have even let that brief interest form into anything more.  His opinion? His sis was a way better option than his friend, hands down.  But she seemed happy, he seemed happy, so Colt wasn't going to say it.  Better to let Fire move on to others who deserved her.

"Never easy, but better to find someone who will properly appreciate everything you got.  Which, speaking of.... are you primarily, y'know, ladies then?"  Because shit.... that made his job way easier if he ever had to wingman.

She shot him A Look, though she couldn't keep the smirk off of her face.  If she would've known she had the same taste as Colt, she might have even laughed.  

Uh, she began, eyes moving up to the sky as her brows furrowed, I dunno?  She'd been attracted to more girls here than ever, but she wasn't quite sure.  I'm.. I don't know, just figuring it all out.  And I'm related to every single boy here except Quixote, and uh.. she snorted, he's not really my type.

Now it was Colt's turn to give a Look as she mentioned Quixote, though at least it was to say he wasn't her type.  No offense to Qui, but Fire was his younger sister... she deserved the best.  He would have been fine with it if it happened, but let's be real; he was going to be dubious of anyone in the initial judgement period, and far as he figured, not many met the bar.

"Not a great selection here, definitely.  But quite a few out there, yknow."  He indicated out, then gave a little shrug.  "You travel quite a bit yeah?  Met anyone?"

She didn't miss The Look he gave her, and she matched it with a playfully indignant one of her own.  What, brother?!  Quixote is just Not My Type, sorry!  She snorted and laughed, then thought over his question.

Not really.  There's a boy who lives northeast of here, and he's.. Tegan had described him a number of ways, but none of them seemed accurate now.  He's nice?  But I don't know.  There's something about him that tells me he'll sweep me off my feet one minute and leave me spinnin' the next.  Charming boys were all like that, right?  

Other'n that?  Nah.  I thought Ambrose was kind of cute, then I kicked his ass, so, you know.. I dunno how that'd go.  But at least that established a Type, between Raven and Ambrose (and later on, Bruges); dark and handsome (or beautiful).

"I know the type," he said, appreciating.  He'd been one of those for a long while, but while he hadn't been the type to stick around, he'd also never been the type to promise to.  At least he was honest about it.  Some weren't.  

Then she mentioned a name that took Colt by surprise... Ambrose? Niamh's brother Ambrose?  "Huh.  Wouldn't have pegged him."  Colt had had exactly one interaction with him, and it had been when the bear attacked.  Let's just say he wasn't exactly impressed, though at least he'd stuck around.  "Can't say I'm surprised, he doesn't seem like a big fighter."  He had no real basis for that, but Colt had a lot of opinions that this was the case for, and that didn't stop him from having them.  "Are you still digging him after that?"  Like... hell.  If she still wanted it he had few doubts she could get it.  Ambrose would be damn lucky to have a wolf like his younger sis, and Colt wouldn't mind puttin an assist in.

She cocked her head at him.  He held his own pretty well against me.  He's a heavy hitter.  I just outmaneuvered him, in the end.  But if Colt thought that, then, Why?  Did you spar him, too? 

Ah fuck, dude, always gotta be asking the hard questions. Well.. I dunno.  He's still cute.  But there are a lot of other people in this world who could do that, you know?  Be cute.  I don't know him all that well.  She rolled her shoulders in a shrug.  She was really bad at this, wasn't she?

Though he's got somethin' going for him.  If he screws up too bad, I could just kick his ass.

Colt shook his head.  "Nah, more like we ran into a bear? Coulda been an off day I guess."  He'd only seen the tail end but it had looked like Ambrose  got a pretty big dose of the wrong side of that fight, and Colt was keen to not be impressed anyway.

"That is a plus.  And just because there's a lot of cute out there.... just makes it more important to... meet .. more of them, find out who's good.  Right?"  It came out a little tentatively, because ok, he didn't want to flat out tell her 'sleep around'.  From what he could tell sometimes women were wired differently than he (used to be?) and he wasn't sure how that would go over.  But since it was the only real advice he had, he settled for a vague offering of it instead.

we can fade this! Since fire has other stuff goin on.  And maybe have another one down the line!

Um, she says quietly, unsure what to think of Colt's advice to, well, get some.  Cough cough.  It was what she wanted to do; she was young and unmated, but she'd never really been with anyone before.  So how do you go about.  Um.  Doing that?

The conversation that ensued was probably really awkward, but in the long run she'd be glad to have it.