Wolf RPG

It had been too long, but his absence had not been without purpose. Since he last saw his lover, his pack had finally formed and thus he had a home for himself, a place where he could reliably be found. The blue-nosed wolf was beyond happy with this change in his life, and it happened none too soon: the chill of autumn was in the breeze, soon to be followed by the cold dark of winter. But this happiness was not without a small note of sadness. The man he had grown so fond of was not at his side in his new home, and that did not sit well with him. He could not help but wonder about their growing relationship. It was not his nature to worry, and yet he did, for never before had his heart been so involved in something. Nevertheless, he was optimistic and hopeful.

He had seen that the pack had several caches dug, and had food placed in them, before excusing him for a couple days. On his travel west, he stopped at the streams in the vale to gather a gift of fish - three plump trout - before he climbed the slopes and loped toward the plateau. He had not forgotten the hospitality he had been shown. When he arrived at the borders, he laid the fish on ground in front of his feet, and inclined his head back. He sang a harmonic song of greeting to Lasher. Then, with his tail wagging, he sat down to wait for the earthen beta, eager to see his face again.

in the wake of the ill-fated meeting with saena, lasher no longer knew if they had a connection to his niece's pack. he had failed her, and miserably. as a result, the druid's appetite had waned and he had eased his patrols, in part to the pain that lanced horribly along his side where the elk's hoof had connected some weeks before.

yet it was pleasure that warmed his heart as the voice of his lover rose in a song, and the beta moved toward the borders as swiftly as he was able. emerging into the open air, he gave a soft purl of happiness upon seeing luke, and he embraced the man fiercely, his love burning brightly in his euphoric features.

Once more, Lasher did not keep him waiting long, and he rose to his paws with a soft whine as he spotted the dark coat of the plateau's beta moving toward him. His tail danced to an exited rhythm behind him, and his forepaws pranced in their place. Lasher embraced him, and he eagerly leaned into it, burying his muzzle into thick fur of his lover's neck and preening the fur there with fervent nibbles and nips. For several moments he simply bathed in the physical presence of the man he held so much affection for, before pulling back to hold his gaze, though not before he slid his blue tongue across the soft short fur of the wolf's muzzle.

"I'm sorry it's been a while," he murmured, his ears laying back. Not since the storm when he had come broken and bleeding to the plateau's doors had he been back. Remembering his offering, he patted the fish with a paw. "These are for you." His mouth turned up in an adoring smile.

they embraced, and the earthen servant felt his soul's youth once more, proud, uplifted. luke's nearness sloughed years from lasher's corporeal form, and for this he was grateful. the delight in his heart was compounded by a rising lust; he nipped the pallid creature's neck firmly, catching luke's eye with the glint in his own gaze that was unmistakable.

but his attention was drawn from such things to the catch luke laid before him. "a fine haul!" he crowed with pride. "were they hard to catch?" the druid's own fishing skills were sadly subpar, for there was simply no need to go after the flesh of the waters when so much fresh meat was available from rummaging ruminants.

He felt his heart flip flop when Lasher looked at him that way, but he had drawn his lover's attention to the fish and he beamed proudly at the man's praise. "I like to think of myself as a fishkeeper," he grinned. He had earned his gamekeeper trade, but though he was a proficient hunter, his true mastery was over the creatures that swam the streams. "I could live off fish. Sometimes I do," he shared. "I spent so much time learning to catch them that it's not a difficult task for me any more." It once was, but fish flesh had commanded his palate in such a way that he had no choice but to learn that skill. Now, he could even teach it. "I could show you sometime." His tail swayed as he stepped forward to nuzzle Lasher's cheek and brush his snout across the man's satin ears.

a fishkeeper. lasher chuckled audibly; luke had no shortage of amusements for him, it seemed. he was distracted again, however, by the sly sidling of his lover; he returned the man's caresses with a deeply felt sign, affection and desire warring visibly in his murkwater eyes. but there was also a level of bittersweetness there; he wished very much for luke to join him here, but the pallid man had pledged himself to another pack, and loyal he was, though taltos knew there was no shortage of love within his paramour's heart.

"i am on patrol," the druid intoned, lowering his head to savor the flesh of one fat fish. he found his hunger sharpened, and ate the remainder of its corpse then and there, glancing apologetically at luke as he licked his lips free of the saltwater taste. then, gathering the other two limp bodies into his maw, he motioned for the pale wolf to follow across the borders while he himself sought out a cache in which to deposit the fish.

pawing earth back over the stash of meat, the beta trekked on, setting a leisurely pace so that luke might walk beside him. "a journey to our southernmost gates!" he exulted playfully. "who knows what adventures we might find there?"

He watched with satisfaction as the plateau beta consumed the fish, and seemed to like its unique texture and taste. He did not eat them all. He gathered the remainder and gestured for Luke to follow him into the pack's territory, which he did with a smile as he stepped in line with Lasher. Once the fish were cached, they continued on.

"Oh I love adventures," he chirped, casting his lover a playful wink. As they strolled south, the blue-nosed wolf took the time to share the news he only wished he could have shared sooner. "Saena's pack has moved," he informed, looking to Lasher's face for an expression that said he already knew, but he did not. "The rise was taken out by fire in the storm. She lives now in a forest southwest of it." His head lowered, ears flicking back as he made to apologize for the time it took for him to pass this on. "I am sorry I could not tell you sooner."

He paused then, allowing the earthen man to absorb and comment on that news before he shared the rest.

the mention of saena caused lasher's jaw to tense visibly; he nodded at the news. "i do not believe that i shall see her again. the last time that she visited, we parted upon bad notes." he did not elaborate, though he would, if luke so wished, but found his lover tactful enough not to inquire into such matters. however, his heart was open to the pallid creature. "thank you for informing me, however," the druid murmured, reaching to press his lips against one pale cheek.

he was relieved that his niece -- for that was what she would always be unto him -- had escaped the blaze, a sad reminder of the fact that her aunt had presumably not been so blessed by the gods. he found solace in silence, but pressed onward, forging through the little lapse.

"tell me of your pack," he whispered, casting a gentle smile at luke.

Luke's expression drooped, and with it his ears. He was disappointed to hear that Saena and Lasher had parted on bad notes, but he did not inquire into it. Lasher knew the blue-nosed wolf had a listening ear if he decided to speak on it. In the meantime, their conversation moved to the next bit of news that Luke wished to share.

"Well," he said, as his ears perked and his lips formed a grin. "It's finally official. We've settled into a hollow in Rising Sun Valley, the eastern most side of it." It seemed surreal now, after the time he spent waiting for it, and still, there was that pinch of sadness that he could not have a paw in both worlds; one in the hollow, and one on the plateau with his beau. Perhaps that was evident in the way he shifted his mouth and turned his ear. "We're almost full up of members, believe it or not!"

He was not aware of how poorly Harlyn and Mordecai's departure from the plateau had gone.

so great was his chagrin still that lasher was loathe to let the revelation slip past his lips; in silent acknowledgement of luke's willing ear, he reached to preen the silken pale tresses at his lover's nearest shoulder. "that sounds beautiful," he murmured, picturing the scene for which the valley was named.

he was most pleased that luke had settled finally, but that same bittersweet aura lingered in his heart. the valley lay almost a day and a half's travel to the east, over two days with his injury that was slow to mend. but his lover was pleased, and that mattered greatly to taltos.

"your leaders, have i heard of their names?" he inquired softly, darting a lick at his lover's cheek.

His lover's question caused his ears to fall back, and for his head to lean with a quizzical expression. He was quiet for a moment as he searched Lasher's face. Throughout his tenure as a promised recruit, he had never once spoke the names of the wolves who were to become his leader, having felt that it was their place to let their pack know of their intentions, and not his to let it slip before they had. That Lasher did not know who his leaders were caused a flicker of worry to bud in his breast, but as he was optimistic, he was quick to figure that Harlyn and Mordecai had informed their former pack, but that his earthen lover had not made the connection.

"I should think so," he quipped with a smile. "Harlyn and Mordecai." His tail waved as he looked expectantly at the beta male, waiting for the oh, right! I knew that response.

the mention of the names caused lasher to tense visibly -- the healer and her ostrega mate had left the plateau with anger following them; they had not deemed this land worthy of their defense. but they had provided luke with a home, and provided that they did not show their faces near the borders, he could tolerate their existence. "so long as they tend you with loyalty and affection, luke," he rejoined, pressing his lips against one pallid cheek.

desire rose in his heart again; the mayfair druid moved closer, falling back a pace to lave his tongue along the back of luke's neck, his muzzle draping over the other's withers. closing his eyes, lasher breathed in the gentle fragrance that clung to luke's fur, a small growl of pleasure emanating from him.

He caught the tension that came over his paramour and knitted his brows, his silken ears fanning backward once more. The response he had expected was not the one that he received, and though the words that did roll from Lasher's tongue were neutral, he sensed in them mere tolerance, sensed that the hollow's leaders were not favored by their former beta. This weighed heavily on him.

Lips were pressed to his cheek, and he closed his eyes with a soft exhale as the man moved to his nape. He savored the embrace, his blue-nose playing absently in the downy furs of a shoulder. He answered Lasher's growl with a small nip, but his thoughts were elsewhere, and before he could bite his tongue, it was forming a question. "What happened?" He drew back, so that his worried eyes could behold the murkwater ones of his lover.

"they decided that our home was not worth defending against the potential threat from the caldera," he mused, gazing into luke's eyes. "i myself was not present, but mordecai and dante parted in acrimony. it takes much to rouse the ire of our leader, so the words exchanged must have been angered indeed."

he sighed; the mood he had been attempting to set might very well be ruined now, but the physicality of their encounters, while highly pleasing, were not the focal point. lasher hoped that the news would not sadden the pallid male.

He felt his heart skip a beat as the beta male made two comments to further concern him. First, that the caldera had posed a threat to the plateau, and second, that his alpha male had not parted his former home on good terms. The latter worried him most. He was quiet for a moment, his shoulders slumping in accord with his mood. He did not want to pry, but he found he could not quell the questions that resonated in his mind.

"Why was the caldera a threat?" Perhaps if he knew it would help him to understand how the hollow's king and queen had departed with anger in their wake.

the caldera. lasher rocked back onto his haunches and closed his eyes with a slow hum of resignation upon his breath. "you know saena, of course. she is my niece through my mate, blue willow, who is peregrine's law-sister. when peregrine abandoned us suddenly to found the caldera with fox, his older children felt shoved aside. osprey junior, saena's sister, seemed to be struck the hardest. she fell into self-destruction and depression."

"when saena departed here to begin her pack, she was eventually joined by junior. peregrine visited the plateau for blue willow, and even myself, but had never sought out any of the children he abandoned so churlishly. i believe this contributed to the madness that provoked junior into visiting the caldera. i am sure peregrine did not expect her to attack one of his new brood, but she did, and the redhawk wolves slaughtered her. i do not know even where she is buried, or if she was discarded as so much offal."

the tears that had risen in lasher's voice now stung his eyes but he did not turn away from its telling, forcing the words past the constriction of his throat. "i know that young ones must be defended, but i heard of her death from peregrine himself, and there was no remorse in him for it. only blame for the poor child who had suffered from the loss of her father."

"add to that the fact that saena had previously visited and been invited back; fox threw peregrine into the rank of omega and stripped him of whatever influence he could have exerted over the attack on saena when she went to visit her half-siblings. fox nearly killed saena for her sister's actions."

"the two attacks sickened and worried me; there is no rein upon fox, it seems, and what was to stop her from coming here and waging a mad war? that is the threat they posed," taltos finished lamely, lowering his muzzle to wipe the salted droplets of grief from his cheek before meeting luke's eyes again.

He understood more clearly all that had transpired when he was turned from the caldera's door, but now struggled to comprehend the swarm of emotion that invaded his breast. Lasher had cast the dark alpha in a terrible light, and though the blue-nosed wolf always reserved his opinions for his own experiences, he felt greatly conflicted. He could see too, that this troublesome tale tore at Lasher, and he stepped forward to caress a tear-stained cheek before embracing the hurting man, his chin upon his shoulders. He was a creature that could converse easily, but in this moment he found it difficult, murmuring only a soft, heartfelt "I'm sorry," before lapsing into silence once more.

he did not know of the history betwixt luke and peregrine, else he might not have spoken so plainly. to his lover's gesture he gave a purl of acknowledgment, grateful for the touch of the pallid wolf's muzzle. "i lie to myself often, and tell my soul that his actions drove all love from my heart, but it is not the truth." and while he would never again see the devil in an amiable light, some great weight lifted from his chest with the admission.

"i am sorry, luke, that i have thrown my emotions upon your shoulders."

Luke drew back once more, shaking his head as Lasher apologized. "You have not," he reassured. "Thank you for being open with me. I know Peregrine," he began, pausing to furrow his brows and run his blue tongue along his lips. "I knew Saena had been attacked by his mate, too," he shared with a sigh. "I tried to visit the caldera, to visit Peregrine, and was chased off their borders by Fox. She told me only that there had been a threat made against them, and that it had been eliminated..." Luke trailed off, giving his head another shake as he recalled that not so long before that, the trio had shared a meal and chatted as friends do. "You've provided answers I had long since stopped chasing." It was good to know. But it was horrible to know.

he stiffened when luke revealed that he had known peregrine, but the tension slid from his body as his pale lover explained. had luke known the panther more deeply, it would not have affected lasher in terms of jealousy, but rather worry, as the redhawk wolf had fallen deeply into the more selfish side of himself.

"she will not stop. i believe the eradication of peregrine's previous children may have been a goal of hers, at one time. look to the hills in the coming year; their current brood may be scattered also."

he sighed and lay his muzzle against the strength of one pale shoulder, thankful for luke's listening ear while he wished he could bring these issues down and inter them in a rocky grave.

Luke made no further comment. It was a lot for him to absorb and he struggled to see the alpha pair from the caldera in the light in which Lasher had, understandably, cast them. He swept his white muzzle across the edge of his lover's ear, moving from there to the man's neck as he savored the quiet moment of affection between them. He allowed the thoughts of Peregrine and what transpired to pass to the back of his mind for the time being, and so thoughts of his own home came to occupy the forefront instead. "I need to be going," he murmured, brushing his tongue across the flat of Lasher's muzzle. With the hollow newly founded, his absences had to be kept short. "I'll come back soon, unless you pass by the hollow first," he smiled. He hated to leave after such a dark topic had been broached between them, but he had responsibilities to uphold now.

Not content to leave on a subdued mood, the blue-nosed wolf sprang sideways and then darted back in with a woof to plant a teasing nip on the beta's hip. Frolicking away, he turned back to cast a playful wink at his lover, his front quarters bowing slightly as his rump swayed in the air, a suggestion that perhaps next time they'd have a chance for a little more fun. Laughing good-naturedly, he made his exit on swift, nimble paws as he bounded toward home.

he lingered in the warmth of luke's touch for a moment, smiling at his lover's antics. well he understood that the pallid wolf must maintain the responsibilities set upon his shoulders by his new leaders -- though he regretted how bleak their conversation had been. putting aside such notions for the present, lasher gave a sharp bark of farewell, his eyes resting on the tantalizing sway of luke's hips until the pale creature had faded from sight, and then he turned back to the deepening shadows of his homeland to breathe the air and find his peace.