Wolf RPG

@Peregrine. for timelines' sake, i'm going to say the stuff with finley happened directly after their last visit woo

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finley recuperated at the plateau, and tytonidae had not been seen at the sunspire. frustration filled lasher's throat with bile as he trudged exhaustedly in the direction of the caldera. the nights spent in blue willow's arms had been abruptly cut short by the healing energies spent on the redhawk wolf — he wondered idly if they had done enough to ensure conception, then decided it mattered not; next season would arrive soon enough if his seed did not take in her belly.

pausing at the borders in the cold light of midday, he sent up a call for his former lover, and though worry for finley and ty still resided keenly within him, a small niggle of anticipation had clambered into his heart.

Ebony made me do it!

When the familiar voice of Lasher called out for her mate, Peregrine, Fox could not help herself from moving toward it. Maybe it was instinct. Maybe it was a feeling of distaste for his pairing with Blue Willow. Maybe it was insecurity that he would attempt to pull her lover back to the plateau, away from her. Whatever it was, she found herself approaching her former friend with apprehension and suspicion. Why was he here? What was his purpose for showing up at their border?

She did not ask these questions, assuming that he would merely give her sideways answers if he was planning something nefarious. “Peregrine should be here soon,” she said curtly, knowing that Lasher would be less than pleased with her presence. Considering she had heard little about their sister-pack agreement, Fox assumed that one was not in place. The fact that she was not immediately chasing a non-pack-member away from the borders was a feat in itself, and he would have to take that as acceptance of their sister-pack agreement.

it was not peregrine who answered, but fox, despite the fact that he had called specifically for the panther. biting back a sharp retort, lasher nodded affably enough at the ruby, plume swaying once in friendly intention. you look well, he rejoined in a tone that could only be called vague — he did not wish to stir things with her.

where they stood with one another was well-known — he bore news for peregrine alone, and hoped that fox would leave them once her mate arrived, though given her pretentious nature, this was not likely. turning his gaze away from her, lasher fell silent, awaiting the devil's arrival.

When Lasher responded with a wave of his tail and a comment that could only be seen as pleasant, Fox gave him a sidelong glance. She had tried to make amends with him—she really had—but he had refused them in one way or another, and she could only ever assume that it had been jealousy. He had no right to it now, and perhaps that was his reasoning for being pleasant. “Thank you,” she said after a long, drawn-out silence between them. Pleasantries had never been her forte, but she was willing to provide them if it meant keeping Peregrine happy. That was her ultimate goal; they were bound by the laws of nature.

If things had gone differently, if Lasher was not intending to sire bastard children, perhaps she could have thought of him differently, now that they were away. But it was one of the few things she could not stop herself from passing judgement on. She made no comment of it, for such atrocities were far away from her now, and while she had been known to stir the pot on numerous occasions, she was beginning to tame her ways. Not for herself, but for the health and safety of her future children. They had not yet been conceived, but she knew that it was in her best interest to remain free of injury and enemies if she was to keep them safe.

He hadn't returned home empty-handed, per se, but he hadn't found Finley. Disappointed and weary, Peregrine retired to the den he and Fox had chosen for their future offspring. He lay there with no intentions of moving anytime soon, though of course someone would summon him urgently. When Peregrine recognized the voice, every single blade of fur on his spine stood on end. He rose to his feet and emerged from the small burrow, feeling a thrill of excitement and a dash of trepidation mixed with burning curiosity, smoldering longing and a blitz of fierce resentment.

When he plodded toward his borders to find his wife facing off with his former flame, Peregrine felt a giant dose of sadness mix into the emotional cocktail. The three of them could have been a team, siring and raising Fox's pups as a triad... but they didn't even like one another, much less love each other. Peregrine eyed them from a distance, wondering what Fox was saying to Lasher.

At length, he slunk down the mountainside like a black panther. "Lasher, unless you have some dire news from the plateau, I think you should go. And tell our sister pack to send a less... controversial messenger next time." Peregrine felt like a jerk even as the words left his lips but didn't Lasher understand how torturous this was for him? He needed time and space if he ever hoped to heal; they both did. Seeing each other kept reopening the wounds. His jade eyes brimmed with apology and a need for understanding, though he stood firmly, his posture unwelcoming, to punctuate his words.

he did not speak to fox again, lifting his eyes instead to the approaching form of peregrine. he had not expected the other's response to his presence, however, and so was unable to hide the expression of surprise and agony that twisted momentarily across his features.

wrongly he assumed that the panther's reaction stemmed from the untrue idea that perhaps he would try and hurt fox, acting the part of a jaded lover. fire swept his belly -- had he ever given peregrine reason to doubt him so? yet his ears slipped back to cup his skull; he backed further from the caldera's borders.

surely fox mocked him now, and he was tormented by the idea, but taltos did not regard her or peregrine directly again. after we spoke, i came across finley in the shared lands. she was attempting to hunt a bear. i was able to divert its attention, but not enough to keep her from being injured. i brought her to the plateau. blue willow is tending her. finley's injuries are deep, but not mortal."

he spoke in a cool monotone, unwilling to let the pair see another flicker of weakness in him. i also visited the sunspire. tytonidae has not been seen there; her mother left some time ago, it seems."

lasher turned his gaze from its vague fixation and glanced briefly into the emerald eyes of his still-beloved panther, his expression veiled. in the next moment he had routed himself from the edge of the caldera, setting a steady, loping pace back toward the plateau.

Fox, too, was astonished by her mate's reaction to Lasher. While Fox did not think that she would ever be friends with her lover's former lover, she would not make things more difficult than they needed to be. Peregrine had been heartbroken when Lasher chose to move back to the plateau, and it had pained Fox to see him that way. To see him lash out like this was painful in its own way, and she took a step back, feeling the tension thick in the air. She found herself wanting to comfort Lasher just then, to let him know that Peregrine did not really mean the sharp words that he spoke, but she knew that she could not. Her place was by Peregrine's side, no matter how he happened to change.

She had missed the flutter of surprise and hurt that flushed Lasher's features for a moment, but was drawn to his voice when he spoke of Finley. She was alive, but injured. The story checked out, if only because Finley would be the type to go and do such a thing. Lasher also spoke of Peregrine's missing daughter, the only one who had not spit anger and malice toward her. But before any questions could be asked, before any clarification could be made, Lasher was disappearing into the landscape. Fox gave Peregrine a frantic look, wondering if either (or both) of them should go after him.

Peregrine dropped his eyes when agony registered on Lasher's face, unable to bear the sight. A moment later, they flicked upward again, brimming now with worry. His lips parted at this news of Finley. Lasher also mentioned Tytonidae, which made a prick of guilt race through him. His lover had kept his promise and here he was, being a total dick.

Because I have to be, he tried to remind himself, preparing to say something when Lasher turned and abruptly began to lope away. Utterly nonplussed, Peregrine met Fox's frantic gaze, then swiftly began to trot after Lasher. It felt very odd to do so after his harsh words, yet Lasher's words had, of course, changed everything.

"Where do you think you're going after dropping news like that? Can't we be professional and keep personal feelings out of this?" he lashed out exasperatedly, which only served to make him feel like an even bigger asshole. Probably a hypocrite too. "Finley's intended to be our Beta. She's also a good friend of mine. Do you think we're just going to leave her there? She belongs here; this is her home and we are her family." Having made that point, Peregrine asked the most important question: "Is she transportable? I will carry her on my back if I have to."

he had been unable to keep the tears from flowing once he had turned away from the redhawk pair — thus it was with shame and mild trepidation that he whirled to regard peregrine as the panther gave pursuit. he did not speak until the devil had said his piece and inquired as to finley's traveling state.

i do not think she is fit to make the journey, peregrine, taltos said softly, blinking eyes red with both sorrow and exhaustion. i brought her back with me only several hours ago, and it was difficult to keep her conscious for that shorter trek.

i came as soon as she was settled. you understand as well as i that blue willow is the most skilled healer we know; finley is in good hands.

he was hurt that peregrine had humilated him, and further tore open the wound by shouting as well. finley was his friend also, and he knew well where she belonged. to hear more insinuations of mistrust in peregrine's tone angered him, but he dropped his eyes to the loam betwixt his paws and said nothing more.

Peregrine locked his gaze on her only for a moment before Fox watched him dart after the messenger. She hesitated, allowing Peregrine to get a head start, before she bolted after him as well. Considering how tense things were, she did not want her lover (or Lasher, for that matter) to go off and do something stupid. She could hear the frustration in Peregrine's voice, and she wanted Finley back as well, but... but if the plateau was truly a sister pack, there should be no qualms in letting Willow recuperate their Beta-to-be.

Fox slid in front of Peregrine, facing him and urging him back toward their home. "Don't do this," she pleaded, "You and I both know Finley will return when she is able." She had been one of two to depart the plateau in favor of Redhawk Caldera. "I need you here, and so do the rest of our comrades." Peregrine couldn't go running off every few days just because he wanted a pack-mate back.

"Tell Finley that she may take as much time as she needs," Fox said to Lasher, personal grudges set aside in favor of her injured friend. Having been a bit of an invalid herself over the past month or so, Fox knew how painful recovery could be. "We will come visit her if we are able." She made no promises, for their numbers were few in the caldera, and it was not her intention to leave it wide-open for trespassers.

This was not the news that Peregrine wanted to hear. His ears fell back as he wondered what to do. He looked down at his paws, mind scrambling to come up with some sort of plan. He wanted to be there for his injured pack mate, to visit her at the very least, but he hated to leave the caldera again so soon. The present dynamic between himself and Lasher complicated matters and made it difficult to think.

In response to Lasher's words, Peregrine said, "I know that. I don't have any problem with you guys looking after her. I appreciate it, of course," he said, humbling and softening simultaneously. "Do you think I'd just let you go, though? That I wouldn't want to check on own subordinate? That I'd just leave you to it without a care in the world? She's my friend as well as my pack mate. I don't care if it's not mortal, I want to be by her—"

And that was the moment when Fox caught up to them and inserted herself between Peregrine and Lasher. Although she spoke the truth, his ears flattened in response to her interference. He was about to open his mouth to acknowledge her when she cut him off and told Lasher to go, then spoke for both of them in regards to visitation. The Alpha male couldn't help himself. He growled deeply, the sound directed at his mate.

"I will come visit her shortly," he said to Lasher without looking at him. His steely eyes were fastened upon Fox's face. "And... thank-you, Lasher." Peregrine stifled a sigh, knowing that his former lover was going to leave for real now and that their relationship was effectively severed. It was for the best but it sure as hell didn't feel like it.

Once the sable male was out of earshot, Peregrine said, "Why do you speak for me? I can speak for myself. How can you just leave her there? What if she thinks we don't give a fuck about her? What if she decides she'd rather stay there? We've chosen her for our Beta. I'm going to go see her." His tone left no room for argument whatsoever.

taltos was quite wearied by all that had gone on, and received peregrine's stream of words in silence, feeling both that he had made a mistake in coming here, and that he had been wronged. his lips parted to speak, to give some vague answer to peregrine — to beg his former lover to allow him to leave — but fox suddenly drew herself between them.

he was surprised by her words, for he had expected the ruby to decimate him as well, and stepped back from the pair as peregrine's ominous growl settled over them. goodbye, lasher whispered hoarsely, dipping his muzzle and turning once more to leave them both, the speed of his lope more pronounced.

blue willow's warmth was what he sought now, but she would be devoted to healing finley, and lasher would need to discover another reprieve for the overflow of agony and bitterness in his heart.

She was taken aback, yet again, with Peregrine's attitude and the careless way he spoke to her. How he could ever imagine that she did not care about Finley, Fox did not know. She was her friend, too, but if they left, it would leave the pack open to intruders, and Finley would have nothing to come home to. Fox did not think that Finley would choose to stay there, rather than return here, but if she did, then that was her prerogative. It simply meant that they had wrongly chosen her for their second in command.

Fox said nothing of this, but simply stared at Peregrine with a gaze that was filled with hurt and bewilderment. Was this the same wolf she had met nearly a year ago? He did not seem to be, and although she would never begin to consider tearing herself away from him, she wondered if he would continue to be so cruel. Without another word, she retreated, feeling the overwhelming urge to be completely and utterly alone.

Her silence surprised him. The look on her face made him feel a jab of guilt, yet he wouldn't back down from this. She had spoken over him, spoken for him, out of turn. They felt differently about the situation with Finley but was either one of them really wrong? Peregrine would have plenty of time to debate it as he made his way to his injured pack mate's sickbed.

"I'll be back as quickly as I can," he called after her when Fox turned wordlessly away. He fought the urge to go after her and make things better. There would be plenty of time for that later. Turning, he found himself following Lasher's footsteps, though he would step off the trail for a while to avoid catching up with his former flame.

Lasher

RIP Fox

Lasher

RIP Fox

Peregrine Redhawk

Lasher

RIP Fox

Peregrine Redhawk

Lasher

RIP Fox

Peregrine Redhawk

Lasher

RIP Fox

Peregrine Redhawk