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+--- Thread: King Elk Forest see my heart; I decorate it like a grave (/showthread.php?tid=25412)
see my heart; I decorate it like a grave - Nathaniel Sr. - February 07, 2018
For @Delight but AW
Concussed still, ribs aching, the ex-soldier had wandered a little past the borders. He hadn't been prepared for Burke's death-- but then, would he ever have been? Perhaps a past version of himself might have, if only because he surely would have felt the old man's life bleeding out between his own clenched jaws. But things were different, now... painfully so.
Nathaniel had lost everything, only to find something more to lose. He snorted at this thought, suddenly wondering if this meant he was to be the Rochester patriarch now. Not that he'd know for sure; Nat had never paid attention to trivial things like who of his littermates was born first. If it was based on strength, on experience, surely it would be a yes.
It didn't matter anyway.
Nat hadn't bothered, yet, to deeply clean the blood that stained his fur in certain areas. He had gone over it so he didn't reek of blood, but the ex-soldier was still clearly wounded. Visually, the worst of his wounds decorated his thigh; the flesh was mangled there and he held it awkwardly. But he thought very little of it now, in the face of his father's passing.
Nathaniel had lost everything, only to find something more to lose. He snorted at this thought, suddenly wondering if this meant he was to be the Rochester patriarch now. Not that he'd know for sure; Nat had never paid attention to trivial things like who of his littermates was born first. If it was based on strength, on experience, surely it would be a yes.
It didn't matter anyway.
Nat hadn't bothered, yet, to deeply clean the blood that stained his fur in certain areas. He had gone over it so he didn't reek of blood, but the ex-soldier was still clearly wounded. Visually, the worst of his wounds decorated his thigh; the flesh was mangled there and he held it awkwardly. But he thought very little of it now, in the face of his father's passing.
RE: see my heart; I decorate it like a grave - Ariel - February 07, 2018
they bury him in a quiet corner of the forest, marked by a stone delight carefully extracts from the dirt, large enough to be noticed but small enough to be moved about. in the end he decides not to call for a public mourning. it feels like something burke would be annoyed by, and truthfully, he's not sure how well any of his current wolves knew the old man. he pays his own respects quietly, promises to hold on to his story, share his memory. burke'd probably hate that too, but fuck it: he can be sentimental if he wants to.
nathaniel's disappearance troubles him, too: delight catches his scent exiting the pack but does not follow him. he wonders if the soldier really had just meant to stick around til burke died and then ditched. it's.. frustrating, at the least. makes him feel like he's failed them all, somehow. nonetheless when he catches wind of him near the borders he picks up his pace, intent on scolding or at least questioning until he realises, oh, that's blood too.
faint, but definitely blood. and when he arrives on the scene he sees more, and oh yikes that's a pretty bad wound. without hesitating delight throws his head back and calls for @Anatha, then rounds on nathaniel with a cross expression. "what happened?" he demands, worried and annoyed and anxious all at once, making his voice sound as strained as his tired face looks.
RE: see my heart; I decorate it like a grave - Nathaniel Sr. - February 08, 2018
Nathaniel's expression didn't change when Delight approached, but he fixed glazed-over eyes on the boy. For a moment he was quiet.
The simple truth was all he could manage right now. Perhaps another day he'd have had a better response, but not today. The last add-on almost seemed more to himself, the first hint of emotion breaking through in his voice; it was relief, slight as it was.
The ex-soldier was silent a few more beats before he spoke again, voice shaking. He gave no indication of the change of topic, but suddenly he was no longer speaking of the rock slide.
He stopped and looked away, drawing a deep breath and trying to calm the rage behind his words.
Rockslide in the valley.He gestured with his muzzle in the direction of the place.
I was out with Mona-- she's not hurt.
The simple truth was all he could manage right now. Perhaps another day he'd have had a better response, but not today. The last add-on almost seemed more to himself, the first hint of emotion breaking through in his voice; it was relief, slight as it was.
The ex-soldier was silent a few more beats before he spoke again, voice shaking. He gave no indication of the change of topic, but suddenly he was no longer speaking of the rock slide.
I wasn't ready. It wasn't enough time-- damn him, he always leaves before I can--
He stopped and looked away, drawing a deep breath and trying to calm the rage behind his words.
Where did you put him?
RE: see my heart; I decorate it like a grave - Anatha - February 11, 2018
it has been a long time since she's heard her name called in the wind's song, filling the space above the trees with the summons. for a moment, she was still, and worry curled in the pit of her gut, lurking there like an ugly viper. she pushed away the worst thoughts before they could come, forcing herself up and lurching forward when after a panicked beat she recognized Delight's call.
when she did draw up alongside Delight, her gaze locked immidiately on the strange male, hackles prickling beside herself. he was injured, and obviously deeply upset, and yet she could not reason with the instinctual part of herself that bade her be on high alert.
RE: see my heart; I decorate it like a grave - Ariel - February 12, 2018
his glare softens as nathaniel speaks, the unfocussed look in his eye delight's first clue. news of a rockslide is unwelcome and particularly for the boy who lost his family to a similar event; he can't help but wince even as the soldier reassures him his companion, mona, is unharmed. he didn't know they'd been out -- where is she now if not with him?
before he gets a chance to pry further, nathaniel breaks, and, oh, this is what it's really about. delight has been bothered by his disappearance on the night of burke's death -- although he'd done about the same after the avalanche, not bothered to check for bodies, just turned tail and run. "between the weir and the cliff," the morwinyon answers, "but first -- anatha," he looks at the small girl, who'd slipped in somewhere between the outburst and delight's answer, "this is nathaniel -- he was caught in a rockslide, do you mind checking his injuries..?" he gives nathaniel a look, making it clear that the soldier doesn't have a choice even if anatha does: that cut looks nasty.
RE: see my heart; I decorate it like a grave - Nathaniel Sr. - March 12, 2018
The ex-soldier hardly noticed the strange woman's arrival; he was caught between anger and embarrassment, ears flattening to his head. His gaze had drifted from Delight to somewhere just past him. The answer only barely registered, but Nathaniel tucked it away dutifully for later. He would visit eventually.
When the Morwinyon began speaking to the newcomer-- Anatha, it seemed-- Nathaniel's attention turned to her as well. He studied her with a distant expression, only vaguely interested but not unfriendly. His gaze only lingered a few beats, though, as he felt Delight's eyes on him again. Nat responded to his look passively, softening and giving a dip of his head to show he understood. He was doing his job as a leader, making sure all was well within his pack. Nathaniel could respect that.
When the Morwinyon began speaking to the newcomer-- Anatha, it seemed-- Nathaniel's attention turned to her as well. He studied her with a distant expression, only vaguely interested but not unfriendly. His gaze only lingered a few beats, though, as he felt Delight's eyes on him again. Nat responded to his look passively, softening and giving a dip of his head to show he understood. He was doing his job as a leader, making sure all was well within his pack. Nathaniel could respect that.
Thank you, Delight.The words were quiet, almost flat but not insincere.
RE: see my heart; I decorate it like a grave - Ariel - March 21, 2018
slapping an ending on this!
anatha is quick to tend to him, and reassured that the wounds won't be nathaniel's undoing, delight nods curtly and takes a step back. he is not the one who can offer comfort to the soldier, here -- he's no longer mad, but that's the extent of it.
he waits quietly for anatha to finish her inspection. nathaniel will need rest, for sure, and some of anatha's herbs that delight knows little about, but is otherwise unmaimed. settled for now, delight leads him into the forest, leaving him by burke's grave site to tend to his emotional business.