He'd hoped the snow and wind would've eased off by now, but still it persisted. He glowered out at it from beneath the furrowing of his silvered brow that evening, watching almost bitterly as it fell thickly. He would need to venture out and assume his share of a patrol along their Western border, and he was reluctant to step beyond the comfort of Hougeda and into the biting cold.
The world had been quiet following Heda's apparent suicide. While he felt the absence of his leader, Dacio hadn't been as close to her as he'd have liked. It was his own fault, as he'd spent most of the time since her return caught up in his grief over his own family's loss to really make the effort. Guilt - over this and the failure to complete Portia's mission - weighed him down, yet the ashen youth carried on as normal with a toughened exterior. If the death of his mother had taught him anything at all, it was that no level or mourning would change anything. Life would always carry on.
It seemed to be normal of Drageda's young warriors, to learn the hard way and cling to the notion that it might make them stronger.
Dacio breathed a sigh, and pressed a silver shoulder to the slick rock at the cave's mouth to await the time that he duty would call him away.
hell yes >)
there was a brief moment, before wildfire's departure, rusalka's invasion, and nomi's death that blix had seen dacio as a potential mentee. not necessarily because he reminds her of herself at that age -- she'd been all loudmouth brashness and he seems much more stable, calm -- but because he reminds her a little of a young
furi, and if asked, she would easily point to her mate over herself as the superior
gona. but, well, then everything went sideways and any thoughts of singling out any of drageda's children to train were shoved aside and subsequently forgotten.
still, she has not forgotten dacio. so few of the previous year's litter remain -- with silkie gone to trigeda, only tux is left of her younger siblings, and he keeps himself largely isolated these days. opalia and dacio, though, they've stuck it out, and she admires that. so when she spots him near hougeda's entrance, coming up from behind, she pauses beside him.
"dacio," she greets, and then turns and regards the tableau, noting the thick snowfall with a slightly furrowed brow.
"oof, it looks rough out there," she says,
"want company on patrol?"
Eventually, the young Gona gathered to his paws. He peered out at the Wintry scene before him and hunched his shoulders to prepare for biting cold, but stalled at the clack of claws on stone at his rear. He blinked over a peppered shoulder to meet the familiar features of Blixen, to whom he dipped his ivory-tipped muzzle. "Commander," he greeted as she spoke his name and settled in alongside him.
He'd always looked up to Blixen and followed her without question in their former leader's absence. When Heda and her comrades departed for war, the duty of training the pack's cubs fell to her crimson replacement and as a result she'd become something of a mentor to them. She'd stuck around through all their misfortune: from the betrayal of her own mother and sister to the tragedy surrounding the death of her nomi, Blixen powered through the pain and set an example that Dacio hoped he could one day master
"If you're feeling up for it," a hint of a smile tugged the corner of his mouth as he followed the commander's amber gaze out into the blizzard, before he looked toward her once more with a suggestive arch to his brow that said, after you?
blixen smirks over her shoulder at him, already putting a foot forward when he speaks. "it's just a little snow," she teases, ignoring how quickly the wind piles it up on her coat. odds are they won't get that far -- but someone needs to make an effort at least, and blix isn't a quitter, come rain or shine (or very big blizzard).
assuming dacio's followed her, she sets the pace slow and steady, letting snow whip about her ears in peacable silence for a few moments. it's almost nice to have something so big and angry that isn't wolf around them. "how are you holding up?" she asks (loudly) as they trudge -- after all, he's been through the same as she has, with his mother's death in similar circumstances and his sister leaving with the traitors, too. it isn't easy... but warriors are made from tragedy, blix has learned: it's a matter of how you overcome.
He wished the confidence that oozed from her could be contagious as he caught sight of the mischief in her grin, but Dacio's quiet reluctance remained. His response to her light tease came in the form of an amused huff through flared nostrils, and he tilted his raven chin upward to reveal a willingness to follow.
Blixen took the lead, and the ashen youth sucked in a breath as he prepared himself for the bitter chill of Winter. It nipped at his paw pads as he stepped beyond the comfort of Hougeda and fell into stride at the russet wolfess' flank, pale eyes narrowed as the cold stung his features. He half expected their patrol to be a silent one, so lifts a charcoal lobe as his comrade pipes up in a question that takes him by surprise.
"Fine," he answered immediately, though it's a bare-faced lie. "And you?"
"not so fine," she returns levely, after a few moments of thought. as their commander she worries it is unwise to own up to any lingering emotional suffering -- she had not cried over nomi, except in raleska's presence, which barely counts. but blix has never been good at hiding her feelings, and maybe if she's honest, it'll encourage dacio to open up too. or maybe she's projecting -- either way.
with a soft sigh she adds, "but i'm getting through it, same as the rest of us." she gives him a look -- maybe knowing, maybe not -- and shrugs, her expression melting into a slightly worn smile.[/narrow]
The commander's confession roused something within Dacio's chest, and his gaze upon her softened somewhat. Was it a sense of comfort, he wondered? Sympathy, or even pity? Having been numbed for so long by tragedy after tragedy, it was difficult to place his emotions.
He trudged on at the crimson leader's side, setting his focus instead on the bitter cold that whipped around them as he maintained an awkward silence. Winter had brought nothing but chaos for Drageda, and Dacio found himself hoping that a new season might bring some long-awaited good fortune.
"Facing each day as it comes is all we can do," the young Gona shared as he lifted his eyes to look upon her withered smile, "and we'll be stronger for it."
gonna wrap this up unless you wanna continue? <3 thank u for being a lovely packmate, i'll miss writing w/ daci!!
she, like dacio, was braced for the future, hoping some new break will bring them back to peace. things had been good here once. under the onslaught of snow and the weight of so many tragedies, though, she's having trouble imagining things will be good ever again anywhere. dacio's words bring a smile to her face nonetheless -- he's a smart boy. he'll do well for himself. maybe she could mentor him...
her thoughts are interrupted by a seemingly impossible increase in snowfall -- a sharp piece of hail smacks against her cheek and she pauses.
"alright," blix says,
"i think we'd better head back in." fleetingly she invisions freezing to death in the blizzard -- she's got to be more responsible for her own well being if she wants to be a leader, she realizes. turning, she beckons to dacio, ushering them back to the safety of hougeda.
They carried on without words, trailing through silent snowfall with only their private thoughts. Dacio appreciated the quiet, though turned his focus once more to the present as the weather worsened.
He padded along by her side, obedient, not once breathing a word of his discomfort. Dutiful as always, Dacio gritted his teeth against the bitter cold and felt relief flood him as his crimson commander suggested they turn back.
Dipping his muzzle in a nod of agreement, he followed Blixen as she lead them around and in the direction of Hougeda. Dacio shook the snow and melt from his pelt once they stepped inside the hollow, and settled in close to his comrade to warm up.