raining again. colt stumped back to where
@Sadey was holed up, returning from the borders where he'd been seeking to mark over the fading scents of their departed alphas.
now any interlopers would know the pack was vulnerable, which sent his hackles brewing upright.
"well, what d'yew say, sadey? reckon if miz iseul chooses t'leave we'll escort her. otherwise, well, figure we got two options."
he cleared his throat, spat birch juice into the sodden, warm air.
"we could take th'place over. she won't fight much, i don't think. or at-all. could be a good little base of operations until th'others get back."
colt, though he wouldn't ever say it, was beginning to doubt that they would be. the idea of ordering iseul, then, to stand down, lost a lot of its allure. especially considering that briggs had come to like her a little.
"or we could kick off, back to th'trail again. invite her along, make somethin' of them pups."
now his crimson eyes looked to sadey, his confidant, longtime friend, murderwife, and fellow ranger. what did she think?
Sadey watched as big fat raindrops fell upon her head and the nearby area. She tilted her head, pink tongue darting out to catch one. Reminiscent of when she was a child and not as world worn.
She had thought the mother of this pack had a hard time of the birthing of her children. She and her husband agreed to travel back and forth, but they would no longer live around here. Her body broken from the birth of little ones.
Sadey frowned in thought. Tongue darting out to trace along muzzle and nose. She took a breath. Finally able to breathe without pain.
I'm fine with escorting her somewhere. Perhaps i'm getting soft in my years, but I don't much want to turn those babes bad like us. They have peaceful parents and it seems a disservice. But they also should learn how the world is.
bad like them. colt wanted to argue that he and sadey weren't bad at all, just survivors with a different set of skills. but he noticed how she paused, the tenor of her voice. how she breathed.
colt didn't think she was up to scrapping any longer, and as her travel-mate he felt it fell to him to ensure they stayed out of such.
scratch that, then.
"well, what about if miz iseul decides t'keep on out here?" was sadey soft about that too? colt looked hard at her. "what do yew wanna do from here on out?"
She saw the way he looked and those grey eyes of her's flashed cold fire and she snorted. Don't you look at me like i be half dead and a monkey's ass, Colt Briggs. I'll scrap you to the moon, rip the hide from your shoulders. Yew understan.
I already told yew i'd go hauling ass and taking names. We stay here we're liable to get soft and warm hearted.
She pulled a face. If that isn't a horrifyin thought.
"i know, sadey," he snorted with an eye-roll, but colt wasn't sure then. hell, he wasn't even certain his own heart was in it.
"well, if'n we're stickin' out for it, no sense makin' this place our only stop." the teekons were big but there was a vast land beyond it, rich and ready for exploring.
"yew still wanna raid?" he asked dubiously.
Sadey looked him over and shook her head. Colt Briggs yew always be asking after me adn the others. Always taking care. Despite that absolutely filthy exterior of your's yew are loyal to your wolves. So let me ask yew. What is it that yew want? Dont' worry about what I will or won't do for aminute, nothing. What do yew want?
And then come hell or high water she'd make sure he got what he wanted. A frown pulled her maw down and she shrugged a shoulder.
I don't know if we can anymore. Not with two of us. That's a good way get killed. We'd need more wolves.
"i want th'gang back together, sadey. i want all of us, a dozen strong, to march on an' take what we want."
colt snorted a little.
"barrin' that, a piece o'land an' — yew know."
colt thought about wren, letting out his breath again. "gotta leave afore too long, though. woman found me out, stayed with her a while. let her know i weren't pa material, but." sadey knew this story. colt expected a scolding.
A sadness sharp and poignant pierced her heart like glass. They would never have that again, at least not right now. They had no idea where half the gang was and the could never go back home. They'd be hung out to dry quicker than a hare, but if she ever wanted to die quick and fast, well that would be where she'd head.
Sadey raised a wolfish brow. yet another woman fell to the charms of ole briggs hmm. Did you impregnate this one? Or just give her a good bed tussle? I should box yer ears. I can't wait to be alive the day a woman tames that shrew heart of yours. Imma laugh my ass off.
She raised a paw threatening and shook it at him.
colt snapped playfully at it. "only woman who could ever tame me is yew, sadey walker." and then he became somber again, and spat on the ground. "i reckon this un's pregnant. wanted me before an' durin' her — well. yew know."
felt odd, gabbin' with sadey about these particular details. "anyhow, figure soon's th'time to clear out. don't want no ugly business."
Sadey chuckled. Oh i'd tame yew and yew die of a heart attack seconds later, cause you couldn't handle this Colt Briggs. I'd smite you where you stand.
Sadey chortled....And why'd you give in? Because that is just bad business....
She snorted again, amusement at his discomfort lacing her grey eyes and making her ribs ache with the laughter she wanted to release.
When do yew wanna leave?
No questions asked. She had said she'd follow and she meant it. her and Briggs. They were stuck together come hell or high water.
"never said i weren't a fool," briggs snarked back, though he closed his eyes in a mixture of regret and interest to know what it might be like, pa to a flock of little ones.
starve the thought.
"figure we'd let miz iseul decide what she's doin' an' go from there."
lot could happen on a journey.
She nodded and saw his movement and she sighed. Yew know Briggs. If yew wanted to raise those littles. Ole Sadey wouldn't make fun of yew too much. My.
Her voice broke and she took a deep breath.
He wanted a whole flock of little ones.
She knew he'd know who she meant. Her Jax. Sweet and funny and wanting more.
I can get behind that.
he hadn't the mind for it, but there came evidence now that sadey was grown soft in that direction.
attached.
colt shifted.
"guess we'll see." the pain in her voice brought him closer, but that was as much softness as briggs had in him for now. "maybe they think the same of yew, sadey."
Sadey always had a soft spot for littles. Protected them as she could. Didn't coddle, didn't fuss but cared in her own way. Just as briggs did evident by red and marsten. And these littles too. He'd been quick to mention bring them along.
She laughed. ::ole sadey isn't ma material. Perhaps a very far away auntie.
and maybe he was a gritty sort of uncle, the sort who showed up once a year drunk with a dangerous birthday present.
he guffawed a little at the pair of them, then laid back on the ground. "gonna get some shut-eye. hopefully miz iseul will make her mind up quick."
knowing sadey was with him had brought the wanderlust sharply up.