Northstar Vale Yioí

The sounds of crickets had been replaced with the hooting of owls. Even the frogs had stopped their croaking. Each pass of wind played music through the reeds by the water. As the redstone wolf walked the paths of the vale, he thought of Nanuq. He had not been able to shake the worry he felt. The young wolf had seemed desperate to get out of Mereo, desperate for a better life for himself, for his brother.

Arsenio would need to prepare to travel to Mereo. He had no intention of turning the boy away from Epoch. If the young man was sound in his mind enough to travel from the canyon to the vale, to stand humbly at their doorstep and ask for a home… The Greek wolf wouldn’t let himself deny Nanuq.

The Arche stood at the edge of the vale, eyes fixed on the distant trees.

It was rare for her to come across the Arche, only simply because their paths did not cross often. Between her work and his within Epoch, it seemed her common company was that if her patients and Tamar, who she was attempting to mentor.

But the night she found herself restless, and so when moonlight shone upon the copper fur of the impressive man, she gave pause for a moment, eyes thoughtful as she studied him. “Arche,” she greeted quietly, her tail giving gentle sway in the cool night air, as she made her presence known—unwilling to catch him by surprise. “You seem pensive.”

It wasn’t his name, but his title that was spoken in a gentle voice. The man turned, glacial eyes resting on their resident caretaker. Arsenio knew that Tamar had taken an interest in learning from the woman. He had been pleased to find that she had a friend, or a mentor.

Though it took the redstone man a moment to catch her words, he smiled warmly after they had reached his head. It had not been long that she had been with Epoch, but it said a lot that she would pick up on his thoughtful nature. Arsenio hoped that she didn’t take concern. She had filled a role in their home that he appreciated and she had given his wife a friend to learn from.

Meadow, he greeted her with a vibrant voice. Please, you may call me Arsenio.

He was no Imperator, or Pharaoh. There was no need for her to address him by his rank as if it had taken the place of his name.

You have a good eye. There are many things on my mind.

His eyes were glacial—in many ways, they could have reminded Meadow of Reyson, though her beau’s held a certain something when he looked upon her— vaguely, she wondered if Arsenio’s own melted equally when he looked upon his Tamar. 

Her muzzle chanted lightly at his request, offering a dip of her head in understanding as she sidled closer to him, her own gaze moving to look out over Epoch as he had done only seconds before she had interrupted. If I’m interrupting I can go, she offered, knowing all too well sometimes the desire for silence to consider emotions and thoughts.

No, no, he dismissed of her concern that she might have interrupted. If his thoughts were so heavy that he required absolute solitude, he would have sought it away from his home and those who needed him. It would not have looked good for the man to treat his thoughts as being more important than the wolves in Epoch.

It is good to have the company of Epoch’s Heiros.

Arsenio did not wish to dump his internal struggle on the woman. He motioned so that she could take a spot beside him. The softness of her words, her consideration, her skills as a healer all made it clear why Tamar had grown to like her. Meadow was as lovely as her name suggested.

How have you enjoyed your time here, hm?

A sideways glance was given to the man as he spoke, a considering gaze. As others had mentioned to her in the past, she perhaps was a perceptive creature and wished to fix things as she came upon them broken—the pang of that reality still tugged at her chest when she thought of a certain onyx man, and she was unwilling to corner the Arche now by coaxing him to finding her a willing ear. 

She simply didn’t know him well enough. 

He spoke of her rank after the insistence of using his name and not his own rank—an interesting thought to the woman but one she offered only a small smile to. Epoch has quickly become home, was the simplest answer she could give him, and an intimidating truth. Your wife has made it so.

The vale had already become a home to her. She said that this was because Tamar had made it into a home.

Arsenio smiled softly, bowing his head. Tamar had made the horrible halls of Akashingo feel like a home when she had been near to him. She could make the darkest pit feel the same, he was sure. It was good to know that she had done the same for others – that they had others in their ranks because of her. The redstone man was capable, yes. He was not good the way Tamar was.

Tamar can make anywhere feel like home.

The Arche’s family was the most important thing to him. It was clear from his words.

Tell me, though. What would you like for your future? What plans have you made?

They were one pack. Arsenio intended to see their ambitions fulfilled.

His voice was tender at the mention of his wife—an act that both warmed the she-wolf and caused her own to flutter painfully in her chest. Such love and devotion between two beings—was it in her grasp now, or was it like other times when she felt happiness could be within reach?

So she remained pensive at his question—wondering what it was she wanted for her future.

And somehow, she refrained from a sardonic laugh—the kind that would grace her at the worst of times, when these sort of fairytale notions were presented as if possible.

“I’ve spent most of my life drifting,” she offered, drained at the idea of having to explain it all. To relive it, again and again. “I just want a home.” Her needs were simple—what hearth and home looked like, she still wasn’t sure. But Tamar and the wolves of Epoch were beginning to form a rather tempting picture for her, and she stole a sideways glance to the man.

Arsenio understood how difficult that life could be. He had spent the majority of his in the same way – from one place to the next. The only skill he had to offer were his fangs and his brawn. It had taken him years before he had grown disenchanted with such things. It had taken the love of his wife to pull him back from that mentality. Even then, his mind had only shifted from attacker to defender.

I spent much of my life the same way. The redstone man did not feel that he should need to bore her with the details. Most of them were grisly and he did not think it polite to share such stories with a wolf who healed. Sometimes I wonder if I will grow restless. But every day I wake up and I am in the most beautiful place I have ever seen, with good wolves, and the love of a beautiful woman. A warm laugh surfaced from his mouth.

Meadow, you are welcome to build your home here. I hear you have a talent for healing, and I would like for you to teach this. It is a valuable skill. Have you thought about lessons? Arsenio would attend and he would bring his son so that Antigone could learn something other than the warrior skills that his father offered.

His story was only grazed upon, but it was his present life that she felt a pang of longing for. Of course, her ability to voice this seemed to be impossible—and in clarity, she wondered idly if this was a life she too could have… Reyson, after all, had seemed quite stubborn with his intention to provide that to her.

But could he, without breaking himself in every way he knew? The life of a solider—his duty to Mereo seemed something he thrived upon. She could no more see herself in the lifestyle and culture of their neighboring pack than she could see Reyson here—and so the logistics did not seem to be in their favor.

Or, perhaps, she simply looked for excuses to hold herself back.

The thought was idle—her eyes drifting past the man before her to consider them before pulling to him once more. Tamar and he were lucky. How hard did they have to fight for such things?

The hint of a smile graced her lips at his mention, following a light tilt of her head in agreement. “Tamar and I discussed the potential very briefly,” she offered, relieved to know that there might be a clear expectation of her and her life in Epoch. “I would love to begin lessons soon. I was also hopeful of claiming a small amount of space to have a garden of sorts—nearby to some well-protected dens or caverns, where we might have a herbal cache?”

I'm going to fade and archive this. Hopefully I can whip us up a new one. Now that the holidays are over, I won't be stretched so badly. <3

Arsenio nodded in agreement.

Come, I will show you some potential places that you might like for such work.

Though the Arche had little mind for plants and herbs, he knew their importance. The work of a medic was necessary to their lives. Besides this, Tamar and Antigone seemed inclined to explore that specialty. If they could create a place where healers to tend to their wares and expand on the herbal growth in the vale, it would be a great accomplishment.

The redstone man showed her a few places where she might make a garden and stock herbs that would be used for her healing. He was polite and considerate as he learned a little about her. When Arsenio departed from Meadow’s company, he was pleased that she had joined them.