Wolf RPG

rusalka inspects their new home in full force; golden gaze scrutinizing and assessing.

it is further from the sea than he'd admittedly like; but gladly, rusalka has come to recognize, he would sacrifice closeness to the sea for the safety and survival of his children.

those that grew by the hour it seemed like! and those yet to come.

along the borders, the cairn patriarch prowls; strengthening it with his scent.

Leifa had been conducting forays of her own into their new territory, investigating the stream and the forest, and the outcrop that overlooked the valley below. Such an endlessly exciting land it was! But, she stil had a lot to learn before she ventured too far. And for that she made an effort to seek out the older members of the pack - ma and da, and the others too.

It is therefore not entirely pure coincidence that the Cairn girl crossed paths with her father, trotting up to him with a chuff and a wave of her tail. Maybe she could join him in whatever adulty business he was up to.

his children grow. more into themselves, into who they'll be and what interests them.

it was a delightful thing to witness, rusalka thinks; amazed at how much fatherhood has changed him. for who could've guessed that in fatherhood ( and husbandhood ) he would flourish.

thus, he could not angry that leifa had found him on the borders. it elevates some of his stress levels — but only because he was protective. but striving not to be helicopter dad, he tries not to let it be known.

better she patrol with him than someone who he did not know well and thus did not entirely trust.

leifa, greets rusalka, gruffly but with undiluted affection. what do you think of our new home? he asks, genuinely interested in her thoughts as he invites her to join him; slowing his pace so she could easily keep up.

At his question, Leifa takes some time to think, pleased that her father let her tag along. Later, she would ask what he was up to, but for now she would enjoy the conversation. "A bit warmer and greener, less noisy... hmmm," until she came to a simple conclusion. "I like it!" And, truly, she did! Unlike Baldr who had been here before, the Plateau had taken some getting used to, but the Cairn girl had taken it all in stride. Admittedly it was far more easy to traverse the meadows than the rocky outcrops of the Keep.

Although she missed the views of the ocean, she wasn't overly attached or experienced enough to have any sort of connection to it just yet. Besides, she had been far too young to explore it properly. Making a mental note to one day return to the coast, she tilts her head in her father's direction, a question on her lips. "Do you like it here too?" For as sure as she was in her opinion, she was always interested to hear the views of others.

though rusalka misses the sea, having spent all of his life near it in some respect or another, the only attachment he'd truly had to the keep had been solveig and their children. at least, they were not so far from the coast as visiting was out of the question.

i do, rusalka responds to her turn of the question back to him. though, truth be told, leifa, i like anywhere you, your mother and siblings are. it sounded cheesy, speaking it out loud. but it was his truth; cringy cheese aside.

If wolves could blush, Leifa's cheeks would've turned bright red in that moment. Never before had she heard her father be so... cute? If that was the right word for it. "You do?" she beamed back at him, tail wagging. "Sometimes they can be really annoying though. Did you know, I can hear Baldr snoring even from outside the cave? He's so loud." But, that was siblings for you. As much as they pushed her buttons, she loved them and her family dearly. A warm feeling settled in her stomach to know Rusalka enjoyed it here as much as she did. 

And then a thought hit her. More quietly now, as they made their way further along the borders. "Daddy, would you still like it if I wasn't here?" Perhaps not quite the most eloquent way of wording it, but she was curious nonetheless. Should she explore the valley one day, or the coast, would her father still be happy here? She wasn't sure she could stomach the thought of leaving knowing he would be sad.

dearest leifa, sweeter than perhaps rusalka deserves.

of course i do, rusalka answers, unable to imagine anywhere else he'd rather be. which was such a one-eighty from who he was before them.

but his children and his wife were his pride and joy.

you sure that it's not me you hear snoring? he teases with a wily grin tugging at the edges of his lips and an affectionate boop of his nose to her forehead, if she allows it.

her last question is a loaded one, and fills him both with pride and that dread that surely fills all fathers at the thought of their little princesses growing up and leaving the nest.

rusalka blows out a breath that morphs into a sigh.

one day, you'll be old enough to leave raventhorpe, if that is what you wish. i cannot — will not — stop you. it's apart of growing up. i expect it, rusalka pauses. i'll be proud of you, no matter where you go. no matter what you do. doesn't mean i won't miss you and your brothers like crazy but ... your mom and i'll be fine, when that time comes.

it wasn't a direct answer to her question, because the truth would be that he'll be sad when his first children flew the coop, so to speak; but it was apart of growing up. he'd left warsaw islands himself, after all.