Wolf RPG

ooc: @Dante 

Osprey had followed the rest of the pack quietly and, once they had arrived at the new place, she had split off from the group to do a bit of wandering around on her own. Though being one of the senior members of the group, she still did not entirely feel at ease with the rest of the newcomers - sadly the grown-up Mayfair children fit in the same category. She acted friendly and politely, but lacked inner strength and willingness to really approach them and get to know them better. She realized that after being part of the pack for a little more than a month, she should have made more effort, but...

Donnelaith... she looked at the surroundings, trying to decide, whether the foreign name fit the area. Tall trees, soft grass and moss - almost as if they had not left the plateau at all, but there was one big difference and it took a bit of time for her to understand, what it was. There was a sound of water, waves and wind. Curious she moved towards the source until finally she was standing atop a steep cliff and was looking at the marvelous sight before her - the vast waters that met the horizon and the sunlight that hast thousands of reflections on it's surface.

The move happened abruptly, much quicker than Dante anticipated, and as soon as Lasher had issued the claim, Dante's tenure as alpha was over.  It was strange... Nothing had really changed, but he felt differently.  It was a hard emotion to put a paw to.  For over a year he'd held the throne, however reluctantly, and letting it go was odd to say the least.

There was much to do in the next month, establishing borders and storing up supplies for winter.  He planned to throw himself at the work with a gusto, and in fact was on his way to the beach now to explore the stretch.  He had little idea of the type of prey it had to offer, and yet it felt there was no time like the present to find out.

He missed his mark, however, approaching from too far south and hitting cliff faces instead of sandy beach. Unless he wished to go for birds on the dangerous terrain (probably not the best of plans), he needed to head north. Shaking his head at the error (one he would probably make a couple of times while he got accustomed to the place) he began to search for more level ground.

He hadn't made it far before he ran into another who stood near the cliffs looking out. He immediately recognized Osprey and let out a low, pleasant sound in greeting. He didn't want to startle her on such uncertain ground. "Beautiful, isn't it?" He asked quietly, referring to the sea.

Over the weeks that followed her return to the pack, Osprey had got used to "bumping into" packmates, therefore her reaction to sudden greetings and approaches was not quite as aggressive as it had been. She still jumped a bit, when Dante spoke to her, but she turned to face him with a friendly smile and wagging tail. 

"Hey," she told him and then closed the distance between them to gently nuzzle the fur on her friend's neck. She then went to stand next to him - side by side - and regarded the view once more. "It does look amazing," Osprey said and, when it occurred to her that as of this day Dante was not an alpha anymore, she looked up and continued. "So, how does it feel to be a free man again?"

Her greeting was warmly received with a tilt of his head and a gentle bump in return before he settled in to stand with her on the shore, his previous plans waylaid for a minute. He wasn't bothered by this... he had all day, after all. He closed his eyes for a moment, breathing deeply as he considered her question. "Odd. But in a good way. I keep thinking there's something I should be worrying about... things I should be checking on, places I should be going. And then I remember that those aren't mine to do anymore." He breathed out in an amused, almost-laugh. "I suppose that'll go away one of these days." He was a thinker by nature, but he didn't do near as much in Peregrine's time there. The last year had drilled some habits he'd have to let go of.

"It suits him. And I'm glad Blue's back where she belongs." Even though he didn't regret the way things happened, he still felt she'd have been the better choice back then, no matter how much her reasons for not taking the spot made sense. Following that train, had Osprey spoken with them yet, and learned of the soon-to-be additions on their way?

Dante seemed happy and more at ease than Osprey had ever seen him, while he had been the leader. Even though she had never strived to be at the top of the ranks and therefore had a very vague impression of what it actually meant, she could relate to the sense of freedom he felt now. Putting the old way of life aside as well-worn coat and being at the beginning of an entirely new path was always exciting. 

And speaking of the latter... for few weeks now or to be more exact - ever since her conversation with Lasher - she had been toying around with a daring thought. During the recovery from her long journey, she had had a lot of time to think about her life up until that point - all the good and bad choices, things and events that had made her happy and on the contrary - made her depressed and miserable. Eventually about people that had entered her life and stayed there, becoming not just packmates but close friends, family even. While going through all of the memories, she had clearly realized one thing - that in a way she standing at crossroads again and the direction she would take would depend on what she was going to ask Dante and what his answer would be.

Funnily enough the courage to ask was the hardest thing to do and there had never been a right moment, even this one did not seem as the perfect one, but Osprey realized that it would not get any easier with time. "Dante... uhm... I have something important to ask you," she side-glance at him. "Just... before I do... regardless of what you answer, do remember that I will still be your friend. That won't change. I promise."

He enjoyed the silence and the view a moment, content to just share company.  It was a comfortable lull, broken mainly by the waves and the calls of the gulls circling.  He had noticed one thing - the coast was never quiet.  But it was a pleasant chaos and provided backdrop to clear the mind to.

She broke the silence first, and he listened with somewhat piqued interest as she preceded her question with a disclaimer. Usually a sign the question could be difficult to answer. He wasn't sure how any question she would ask could even chance on ruining their friendship. He was completely naive to what it could be about, and he nodded assuredly to encourage her to continue. "Okay."

Before going on, Osprey tried to read Dante's expression, because if there were any signs of concern, she would not push the matter further. But she could not tell much, because her perception of faces offered nothing better than colors and blurred lines. She sighed and looked down at her paws, because the courage was about to leave her and the idea of leaving this as it had been was very tempting. 

"I... would you like to become my mate?" she said the sentance in one breath and paused, remembering that, if people wanted to take your words earnestly, you had to look them in the eyes. So as embarrassed she felt for being the one to ask, she lifted her gaze and looked at her friend, feeling the need to elaborate and explain all of the "why"s and "how"s. 


"I wish I could tell that I am madly in love with you, but that's not the case," she said with a nervous laugh. "But there is respect, loyalty and affection from my side and I care for you very much. I know that these feelings are solid, they are not going to disappear. Out of all people you know me the best - seen and coped with me at my darkest moments... and I... I want to have a family, I... don't ever want to be alone again." 

He couldn't at all have expected what came out of her mouth next.  He knew where he'd stood on it, but hadn't truly expected those feelings might be reciprocated in some capacity.  He might have worked up the courage to find out, but when she disappeared, things changed.  Now that she was back, he hadn't completely figured out where he stood.  He hadn't really felt the need to, he'd become so accustomed to the way things were.

The proposal wasn't exactly romantic, but as his initial shock wore off and he actually wrapped his thoughts around what she was asking, that warmed him.  It was honest, clear, and rooted in sense.  Romantic wasn't a term he would ever expect to be applied to himself, and while he had missed her terribly when she was gone, there was uncertainty as to whether the depth of his feeling was at that point as well.  He'd never felt pressed to make that specific declaration, and figured it'd make itself pretty damn clear when it did happen.  She was his best friend, and he'd be lying if he said he hadn't pictured a future for them.  But it seemed she'd be the one with the courage to set that ball rolling, for his want had never outweighed his fear of the consequences.

Would he keep the momentum?

"I can't really say how I feel - even if I knew, that's never been one of my strong suits.  But this is as close to it as I've ever truly gotten to, you know... it. And likely as close as I'll ever get.  These feelings aren't going anywhere either."  He could say that certainly, and he said it slowly, thinking carefully.  "I'd like that.  Yes." This acceptance was a sort of stilted mess but it was as good as he could give with his muddled thoughts.  He hoped it rang as honest as hers.  He laughed as well after he finished, shaking his head slightly. "I never pictured it going like this, a proposal... Though I never pictured it period to be honest."  Not beyond the fact that he'd probably be the one delivering it.  "But it's kind of perfect." He wagged his tail, the enormity of what he'd just said finally catching up on a sort of quiet, glowing happiness.

Though Osprey had promised that regardless of the answer she would still be Dante's friend - while waiting for his reply, she realized that in a case of a "no", things would still change. Taking the next step was a very serious deal and it was not something you could whisk away and forget later. In a way it would always stand between them invisible, but present in every conversation and interaction. 


She was relieved that Dante's "yes" was rooted in the same rational and sensible grounds as her offer. Professing an undying love or any kind of other complicated emotional stuff would have made the deal a lot harder for her. She did not want to hurt him by not being able to give more than she could offer. Maybe in time - where was friendship, there was a potential for love.

"It's usually the other way around," she smiled sincerely at him. "For the sake of my dignity and pride - don't tell anyone that I was the one to ask first," she joked playfully, and then her expression became serious again. "I think that... we need to set some foundations for this arrangement. One that would be important for me - let's be honest with each other about everything. Especially, when and if one of us feels that this is not working out. I think that it's always better to remain good friends rather than trying to build something that for whatever reason can't last."

"I think that little detail would hurt my reputation a bit more than yours," he joked back.  Tradition said he should have gotten the courage to speak up first, so a traditionalist would likely rib him for his cowardice.  But he was glad it went this way.  Osprey was able to ask on her own terms, rather than be forced to make that decision before she was ready.  "Your secret's safe with me."  

Making terms on things not working out was a bit pessimistic, but he again nodded readily.  Complete openness and honesty was a policy he loved the sound of, even if he sometimes had a hard time with it in practice.  "Full disclosure.  No secrets or withheld feelings."  He confirmed.  It would be a challenge but the results would be worth it - a relationship without fear of ruining the friendship lying at the foundation.

Most of what he wanted fell under that same umbrella. They would never have to worry about holding one another down if they abided by it, but could be clear about what the wanted from this. So he had only slightly silly terms to give - important, but not particularly heavy. "I'd like it if we picked out a new spot to spend the nights. I've missed having you there." Perhaps sharing a space was automatically assumed when matehood was official, but while they were at it, he brought it forward regardless.

"Perhaps," Osprey shrugged. To be true it really did not matter, even if someone got to know the exact details of the proposal and spoke their mind about it. It was more important that they had each other and had an exciting and adventurous path ahead of them. Now that one thing was settled she suddenly felt very happy.

"Excellent... and I think we can come up with other rules as the time goes on," it was really hard to predict, how things would turn out, but she was sure that they would manage and be fine one way or another. 

"And I thought you would never ask," she said, giddy about a prospect of finding a new home together and also having the sleeping arrangements going again. "So - have you got a spot in mind or we can spend the next few days looking for it, having vastly different ideas of what it should be like and arguing to no end?" Osprey joked. "Frankly speaking I am fine either way."

"Argue, most certainly. We might as well get ahead of the game on that front. Isn't it supposed to benefit?" He said playfully, lighter even still. Truthfully he didn't care one bit - they could sleep in the river, so long as she was there. Picking together would be a fun exploration together, though. He liked the idea. "I haven't looked yet, so have nothing in mind." When he'd visited he'd usually simply slept among the trees.

"Let's get going then," Osprey said, stepping aside and giving her coat a good shake. They were quite high up and away from the water, but somehow her fur had still got wet. This at least set one fact straight -  they wern't going to be sleeping here, though having occasional nights out would be nice. The view was stunning after all. 

"I think we might not get much arguing - either we would be too polite to each other or... in fact, I will have to believe everything you tell me that you are seeing," she said with a smile. Her sight had not improved and the world still was a blur of colors. "Lead the way," she waited for Dante to choose the direction.

She was likely right - arguing over a sleeping spot wasn't really in his priorities.  "I'm sure we'll get to try out some arguing some day.  It seems to happen eventually." He wasn't upset by that prospect... in fact, depending on the subject and situation, he thought it might be fun to see her get so passionate about something as to argue.  And he never minded a good debate himself.

"So I'll judge the look and you judge the feel.  Together we should have it covered."  He started their way away from the cliffs and towards the shelter of the forest, knowing the only suitable places with shelter would be beneath the boughs.  Spending the winter in the open was hardly ideal when alternatives were available, though mild nights it might be nice to sleep under the stars.  Their first meeting had been on such a night, he remembered.  That conversation... He'd wondered at the time jokingly if perhaps bad faeries had been the ones to keep him awake that night.  Turned out he was wrong - it was the good variety all along.  "alright, what's your preference - den, thicket, or hollow?"  

"Sounds like an excellent plan," Osprey replied, matching her pace to his, let her gaze wander around the area - more out of habit rather than actually seeing a lot. Judging by the feeling - in her opinion - was the way you were supposed to do it. She had lived in some quite good places, but never wished to return there, and at the same time there were so many areas, where she could not stay indefinitely, but which had felt so great that she had kept returning there all the time. 

"Ummm.... I don't really know, which one's better," she shrugged. "Perhaps - we can have a look at them all and I can ask The Question. Like in that fairy tale about the evil queen and her magical mirror. Mirror, mirror in the lake, is this den good for us," she chanted.

He adjusted as she joined him, walking close but not enough so to trip either of them up. He would widen his path to include her space as he navigated, keeping them both clear of obstacles so that she was free to walk a little easier. It was almost automatic.

"I suppose lake mirrors are the local real estate experts, then?" He asked, keeping his face straight as though it made perfect sense that this would be the case. "We'll have to make sure the lake we choose is highly recommended. You can't trust just any mirror, after all." He couldn't say he had ever heard the story Osprey spoke of, but from experience, he doubted it had ended well for the evil queen. He wasn't sure what sort he would prefer either, in truth. All had their merits. A den was more permanent, safer and warmer than the other two. A hollow beneath a tree would be similar, but more comfortable perhaps, if a bit less secure. A thicket of brush would be least permanent but offer more space and freedom. It would likely come down to what they found.

"At least it doesn't have to be a permanent decision," he finished, thinking of Blue and Lasher and how much more important their choice had been. This led him to thoughts of their own situation, but he knew pups weren't a subject he would bring up anytime soon. He did not wish to make Osprey initiate every phase of their relationship, but with what she'd gone through last time, he knew this was something that would be her own call to make. Instinct drove that knowledge and prevented much more thought on the subject. Just making it through winter would be enough.

"Exactly," Osprey agreed, though not being very sure, if she fully understood, what a "real estate" was. The only problem here could be an absence of such lakes. She didn't know, if - aside from the ocean - there was any other major water source. 

"No - it does not have to be," she said, "life is too short to tie yourself to one place only, when there might be so many to learn to know and love." Though this applied to her only partly, because she was at a point in her life, where the prospect of having something permanent and stable seemed to be more preferable than anything else. For now, living within the confines of only one territory would do.

When and while she had considered proposing to Dante she had thought about quite a lot of important points that would come along with this step. The question about children included - and at this moment she was happy that this conversation was going to happen in a far-off future. The pain of losing her first litter was still there and she was sure that she never wanted to go through the same grief again. 

"But I hope that we will find the most suitable spot eventually - in every tale a prince and princess have their castle," she cast a glance to her companion and smiled. Dante could do well being a prince - she was not sure about herself. Perhaps, the ragged and scrawny type.

Dante's thoughts followed similarly - a castle they may find, but he wasn't sure Prince and Princess were monikers suited to them. For her, perhaps a mage, wise but with a sense of humor that could cause a bit of chaos. Or maybe the hero searching out the lost treasure. And for him, maybe the withheld knight or the common soldier, dragged into the adventure and simply along for the ride, but coming out the better for it. It would make an amusing story.

"In a forest like this, there has to be a castle somewhere." He truly looked forward to finding a spot and was elated to be back to their old arrangement, but with a more formal permanence. Not only would they share a den - it would be a home, of sorts, for however long they did so. There was a different sort of dynamic now and he found it made him a bit more possessive of whatever place they might choose. He'd never been much for getting attached to sleeping spots.

"Maybe near the stream?" They could start there, then widen their search. He liked the concept of being near the water.

"Stream sounds a good place to start," Osprey agreed, though she would not tell that her answer would have been positive regardless of what Dante would have offered. She was a lot more excited about the process of searching and not so set about the end result. The right spot would come in time and it did not matter, when it would happen. During the first bliss of new beginnings, it seemed that any place would do as long as she and her mate were together. 

"Have you heard tales about the castles and whole territories swallowed by lakes or disappearing in the underground?" she asked casually. "The story goes that in ancient times lakes were prone to fly around as big, dark clouds, searching for the right place to settle down. And occasionally they would choose a place, which was inhabited. Which is not nice, but..." she paused, thinking about something. "... want to hear one such tale and what happened afterwards?"

ooc: perhaps you can fade out in your next post and we can have another thread? :)

For him, having a goal was nice, but he was in no hurry to get to the finish.  He settled into an easy silence for a bit, walking with her, content until she began to talk.

His ears circled interestedly as she spoke of lakes swallowing dens, and he shot her a bemused look.  Why would they want to ask a lake where to live then? Maybe so the lake would show them the courtesy of leaving it alone.  Appease the spirits and all that.

"I would love to," he responded happily, always up for a story and already highly interested.  This sounded like a good one and was a totally new one to him.  He would listen avidly as they looked, for he really enjoyed her stories the most, in no small part from the fun of watching and listening to the teller herself.