For the one and only
@Scimitar :)
Falwasi traipsed through Swiftcurrent territory under the vast ebony sky that was interrupted by only the tall coniferous hardwood. She sought out a place to rest, seeing as she hadn't claimed a permanent den to depend on every night. The gracing wolf often slept in dips between the roots of trees, mainly for the reason of comfort — sleeping in an open plain was ample, and increased the feeling of vulnerability.
Soon Falwasi came across a clearing, populated by some oak trees scattered around the area. She furrowed her brows at the familiarity of the location. She had crossed the clearing many times, but only one memory stuck out against the rest of them. This is where the warrior had sparred with her Alpha, resulting in him lying unconscious.
The aspiring wolfess had not spoken with Scimitar personally in over two months. It wasn't his fault; Falwasi had been in and out of Creek territory over the winter season, leaving little time for conversation. And it wasn't like there was nothing to converse about — there was plenty — but the female had taken the bridge over the sea of struggles. It could be seen as avoiding, but she was not. Falwasi had a clear view of the water and she sometimes took a chilling dive in it when needed.
Standing still in the centre of the clearing, the she-wolf let out a quiet, yet audible howl, calling for the regal. For whatever reason, catching up or conversing over Swiftcurrent Creek's latest drama, she did not yet know. What she did know, is that it was time to speak.
The cinnamon male dozed beneath a tall oak -- his nose buried beneath his tail to keep the winter bite from his skin, and a myriad of flurries had speckled him throughout the course of his rest. It was but the beginning of winter, and he knew it would only worsen. It worried him less now that the caches were better stocked -- though the birth of four puppies was certainly a strain... but it was also the one thing that seemed to delight the pack in these darker days, and while the regal had yet to meet them, he had been keeping close watch on them from afar, often stopping by the den to leave Paar pieces of game he would share with her.
The howl drew him from his slumber, causing groggy eyes to blink as confusion washed over him in a heavy fog. His mind soon sharpened as his ears twitched, recognizing Falwasi's voice, and alarmed that something might be wrong, the Alpha was soon up on his creamy paws, his large form loping in the direction he believed she called from.
Ever since the pack meeting he had seen little of the honeyed wolf. Her scent was still within the pack lands, and so it had assured him that she had yet to take her leave after the pack meeting.. but it did not ease his concern now, as he found her, awaiting in the night. "Falwasi," he murmured, trailing closer. It would be a lie to say he did not worry what conversation was to come and that it involved her announcing her leave of the Creek -- and it also surprised him at how much this twisted his stomach with the very thought.
Not long following Falwasi's howl, the wolf she had called for neared, the sound of paws colliding with the barbellate ground increasing in volume with every stride. "Falwasi," Scimitar greeted as he approached her, an unusually low sound that made the tawny woman believe she had woken him from a slumber. She regarded him with speculation, then, and decided to play her request out; he was awake now, so there was no point in him returning to his dormancy.
Falwasi hiccuped a half step forward, in order to give the Alpha a docile nudge, but stopped herself mid-stride, uncommitted. Instead, she swiftly dipped her variegated head towards the male, attempting to recover from her aberrant start.
"Nothing's wrong," she started, trying to spare Scimitar of any concerning thoughts he might or might not have had. Calling for him during the close of the day was perhaps not a fantastic idea, but Falwasi had performed her howl without thinking twice about the timing. She had not thought twice about parting ways with the Creek, either.
As she stood there, the chamoisee wolf wondered where their conversation might lead to. She didn't know what to say, as if everything that was happening around her blanked, the remembrance of the different cases slowly fading away the more she attempted to recollect them. She was growing nervous over the lack of speech, despite her prevailing enjoyment conversing in silence, but today she had been the one to call her leader, and now her words were nil.
A moment played out that did little to soothe his fraying nerves -- an awkward half step forward, and then she hesitated, not closing the distance that before, he could see her doing so with ease. The stoical mask broke down then, and a frown lit his features as his eyes fell questioningly upon her.
It was as if she could read his troubled thoughts, and was quick to attempt to assure him.. though it did not. "Then what's wrong?" His rumble was gentle in the night, as if he did not wish to speak too loudly for others might overhear them. It was the cinnamon wolf that closed a step between them, looking over the honeyed wolf he had come to determine a friend. He had seen very little of her since the meeting, and while he believed that to be the catalyst to which she held herself in hesitance, he did not understand where the conversation would lead from here. Did she feel shunned? Angry? Sad? Something was on her mind -- she, after all, had called for him.
So why now did she falter?
Her indecisive performance had surely not put ease at Scimitar's mind despite her first attempt, for his detached expression was now gone, replaced by a scowl. This sent a pang of pique to Falwasi's chest against her own actions — she was assured that nothing was wrong, but she had clearly displayed otherwise.
The chestnut imbued male took a step forward, his eyes trailing over his pack-mate, "Then what's wrong?" Her waffle had been enough to kindle his apprehension for her even further, even with her wordy endeavors.
Falwasi kept his gaze, tentatively and gingerly to be sure not to repeat history's mishaps. "Nothing," she repeated genuinely, expression agreeing with her tone as she stood still. "I just have a lot on my mind, as do you, I'm sure of." She believed everything she was saying was true — Paarthurnax's stay and Star missing, these aspects obviously caused for concern, but not so much as to pester the she-wolf's mind with every second of every coming day.
The truth was that Falwasi was fine.
He didn't understand -- he had answered her call, and she now insisted nothing was wrong. And while it might have been the case.. she offered no insight at all as to the reason why she had summoned him. Perplexed, the cinnamon wolf released a low chuff, his eyes driving over her once more before giving a light shake of his muzzle. "What is it then, Falwasi?" It was amazing the two of them could even converse with one another -- both usually spoke as little as needed, and so a witness could say their discussion now would be that of a miracle.
He did not move to close the small gap between them, though a part of him desired to comfort his pack mate, for the simple reason that something felt off. It wasn't that he was balking at her presence -- but simply knew that another did not call for someone to simply stare at them. So he waited, both ears perked forward to reveal to her that she did hold his rapt attention -- and his concern.
Scimitar shook his muzzle, questioning her motive. It stung her slightly; although Falwasi knew he was nothing but patient, it made her wonder whether he had grown fed up from the stalling. She brushed the feeling off immediately, though. There was no use crying over spilled milk, the milk being awakening a sleeping wolf as the world glazed over with obscurity.
"We haven't spoken in a while," she answered flatly. "How are you?" It was utterly fascinating that it had taken that long to get to the point. So fascinating that the two friends might even reminisce over it in the future if they felt garrulous enough.
Soon after her question, an almost imperceptible smile that she tried to hold back crept up upon the female's features, finding humour in her moratorium approach to the conversation. Falwasi did not know the burly male well enough to know if he would find facetiousness in her question too, but she would find out soon enough.
She was blunt in her response, and even despite the small fear at the back of his mind that she would leave them, Scimitar offered a derisive but amused snort. "You're a frustrating woman, Falwasi," he murmured then, giving his muzzle a small shake. And even as the words slipped from his muzzle, he knew there was nothing about her that he would change.
But she had asked, and with a rueful glance that spoke the volumes of 'you should be careful what you wish for,' the cinnamon male allowed his haunches to plump down to the ground in haphazard carelessness, his bright aqua eyes trained on her features with a small scowl -- as of late, it was his trademark look, if it was not hidden behind a stoical mask. "The truth? I resent this land more and more with each passing day," he rumbled darkly. his eyes trailing in the direction of the soft trickling water. Lethe's grave resided somewhere along it's edges, and briefly, he wondered what the founder thought of the pack she had risen prior to her suicide -- had she envisioned it to be the primary point of drama in the Teekon Wilds?
[size=x-small]Snappy post before I board my flight! Sorry if it's crappy; I had to post now or wait three days!
You got my 200th post <3[/size]
Falwasi shot a mischievous look towards the umber male at his comment, her eyes scintillating with trouble. She was indeed a frustrating woman — she was headstrong and reclusive and her mood could flip like a light switch. And she wasn't going to change.
The regal let his rump collapse to the floor, much like his confession that voiced what seemed like his defeat. He spoke with his eyes on Falwasi's face, and the very action made her feel like his revelation was causing her to burn right through with despondence. Then, he looked away towards the tumbling waters of the creek that were hushed by the glaze of ice, relieving Falwasi from the aqua grip.
With a shake of her slim head, Falwasi filled the gap between them, giving Scimitar's shoulder a solid nudge before sitting down gracefully before him, dark creams and honeys of her chest fireflies in the night. "And what are you going to do about it?" Brooding wasn't going to solve anything. Maybe answering questions would.
The Alpha had brought this topic up a couple of months ago during a pack meeting. The responses were not exactly.. encouraging. But a lot had changed since then. The Creek had new members, loyal wolves had disappeared, and Falwasi would be holding her breath until the day the Bypass should barrage them. Maybe it was time for change.
Her touch drew him from his reverie for a moment – his eyes blinking as they directed once more from the creek waters and to the honeyed creature before him. His own muzzle bent down, skimming to her cheek, should she allow it – a gentle sign of comradeship and appreciation. Falwasi was a steady pillar to the Creek, and he trusted her to speak her mind – proven at the previous meeting. She would not hold back on him should she feel he was being ridiculous in his own opinions.
“I want to move us away. Away from The Sunspire, where tensions might have settled, but the threat always lingers.. further from Noctisardor Bypass. The pack showed great resistance to this suggestion before – and now we have puppies we need to think of, who will be hard to move.”
And even more, he had no idea where he would move them to and in order to find out, he would need to scout out the lands in search of somewhere suitable – and he was loathe to leave his pack alone during these times.
Scimitar touched her chamoisee cheek with his muzzle, to which the she-wolf flicked her copper eyes towards him once more. But soon, the warmth that once resided in her cheek was gone with the wind, and she was alone in the cold again.
He explained to Falwasi what he wanted, and why. She had never been around for the great Sunspire mishap, but she felt empathy for Scimitar and his reasons. The Bypass she had been around for, and she too felt like the walls were closing in. Fast.
Only as she was about to speak did she realise that her jaw was clenched. Did she not want to move? It wasn't like his answer had come to a shock. She was quiet for a long moment before she spoke, contemplating the situation. "It can work. You need to be persuasive." But even as she spoke the words, she knew it wouldn't be so easy. "If only it were so black and white," she murmured a second later, with a slight wrinkle of her brows.
It seemed strange to him that the two should have this conversation now, when only a few months prior, when he had breached the topic to the pack, she had been one of the many who’s reluctance and questions had shut the very idea down. It would have been easier to move then – but what would fate have altered for them in turn? Would Paarthurnax not have been able to find her way home to them? Would Bazi have?
“Before, you did not seem so fond of the idea yourself,” he reminded her gently, his eyes flickering over her figure once more. She herself should know the push back he had received initially – and he did not feel it would be any different this time around. If they left Swiftcurrent Creek – what then? At least they could place more distance between themselves and their enemies.. but they could not go too far with such small puppies.
Would there even be a benefit? “Sometimes I wonder if it’s easier to try to eradicate our problems instead,” he responded, his tone darker this time with the indication of what he meant – but he did not know the numbers of Noctisardor Bypass.. and that was a great hindrance above all. “They have an advantage over us – Shadow knows these lands well.”
His reminder sparked the memory to revive in her mind, the feeling of tension as her pack-mates around her rebelled against the mere thought of relocating. Falwasi had been reluctant, yes, but they had nothing to run from. Now it seemed as if the Creek had no other option.
"I didn't know what to think, Scimitar," she hissed, not in an unfriendly manner, but rather urgently, as if excusing herself from any previous thoughts. The slight-framed wolf knew well that her leader was aware of the difference now — the Bypass. And although this factor could have increased in the fretting scale, the threat had always been there before the pups' existence.
Falwasi remained calm in her posture despite the creeping chill that ran down her spine from the burly male's ominous words as she explored the thought of going at war with their neighbours, her gaze dropped to her paws in thought. "And we don't know their lands well," she replied, exhaling a defeated sigh whilst she looked up again at Scimitar. "It's your call."
She was about to speak again, to spill her guts and try and explain that they would not know if they were going to move forward until they made a decision, and that either decision they made, they would move on somehow. As a pack or as individuals, she did not know. But she kept silent, her mind telling her not to speak, because she was already getting dizzy from all the brain rattling.
He would have taken the time to remind her upon her first statement that The Sunspire had been a rival to them before her time even spent here – that the wolves who had balked at the idea had not dealt with the political matters of the pack, and how nice it must have been to remain so optimistic on their outcome.
But it was a moot point, and it would seem the honeyed she-wolf was beginning to realize through other matters of the forces that were slowly threatening to swallow them whole. Releasing a sigh, the cinnamon wolf allowed his muzzle to drift upwards as he studied the night sky – sleep no longer pulled at him, but neither was he refreshed. Instead, the stress pulled at him like a heavy weight, and he felt his muscles tense.
“To an extent, it is,” he agreed. “But whether they choose to follow or not is what could be the true problem.” How much would it weaken them if instead of standing united and moving together, the pack instead split?
Scimitar seemed indecisive of the situation, put in the wrong spot at the wrong time. But her pack-mates looked up to him and he would have to decide, quickly. If he made this matter public, even the thought of it, it would be weighing on all their minds just as much as it had been on his very own.
Although the idea of moving on was starting to grow upon Falwasi, she could not help but think of the things that were holding her, and possibly the Alpha back. Star was missing, and so was Dovev. Two members that deemed loyal were gone, and what would they do now? A pack containing less than five wolves would be unstable, vulnerable and unprepared, especially at this time of year.
Falwasi didn't know what to say back to the cinnamon male; it was as if he was searching her for answers, but unfortunately, there was nothing to search for. "Enough would," she said, believing that this was true. Bazi, Kas, Kieran, Saber.. these were only a few of the committed followers, and enough to build upon. "Does Kaskara know about this?" His sister was his second-in-command, and she would be able to help Scimitar explore the idea.
“No,” he responded easily, his shoulders lifting in a gentle shrug. “But she wouldn’t be opposed – she was agreeable to it when it was first mentioned months ago.” He gave a small nod, lifting himself then to a stand as the night wind ruffled his pelt. “But it is a tempting idea. To move further from our troubles.” A small frown had crossed his features at that point, and his eyes went to study the honeyed female before him.
“We can decide soon. The pups won’t be able to move for some time.. and we’d need to find a place to settle in to.” His heart cried for Neverwinter Forest in that very moment – but he knew it was lost to him.. like so many faces of his past. “Perhaps one more sweep around the nearby lands to see if there is any trace of Star or Dovev, and then we’ll move forward with the plans?” It surprised him less that Dovev was missing rather than Star – he had seemed displeased by Paarthurnax’s acceptance to the pack, and while he was a loyal soul, Scimitar wondered if it had eventually pushed him away. Star’s disappearance, however, mystified him. “You should try to rest,” he suggested quietly, his tail giving an idle flick through the winter air.
Falwasi agreed internally that his sister would not be opposed to the idea. Although the creek was a treasure to them all, she of all wolves would understand the need for departure, and she would be behind Scimitar and the wolves every step of the way.
There was question to Scimitar's voice, and the honeyed creature knew none other than to nod. It seemed like a good idea, and although it was weak in some areas it was the best they could do. At the mention of Dovev, the warrior frowned slightly, displeased. After all, she'd hoped he would have at least mentioned some sort of departure, considering they'd shared some shallow but personal moments. Falwasi was more pissed than sad, even though she was a little bit. It felt like betrayal; he stole her secrets and stabbed her in the back.
She took a step forward and touched her nose to the burly male's cheek, evading the uncertainty from before. "And you should tell Kaskara," Falwasi whispered as she pulled away, a ghost of a smile touching her lips. It would be pretty damn hard to sleep, for now she had plenty of things for her brain to crunch through. "Goodnight, Scimitar," she said anyway, walking away from him as she commenced to scout a suitable oak to spend the night.
His muzzle tipped downward at her comment, though he spoke nothing more. The honeyed female turned then, stealing away in to the night once more. His own thoughts tumbled with one another -- his desire to simply drop everything and just leave was far too tempting.. The Creek wolves could go wherever the horizon led them.
Except they had the pups to think about, and they needed a plan, rather than a reckless cause. As Falwasi disappeared from view, the cinnamon wolf would turn also, striding away in to the night and back once more to the area he had laid before. Sleep would not find him.. but his mind was oddly at peace, knowing that one of their warriors was more than accepting of the idea of starting fresh.