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+--- Thread: Ouroboros Spine mulberry wine (/showthread.php?tid=66306)
mulberry wine - Valiant - September 14, 2025
Shortly after this thread, which is still ongoing! But I wanted to get this in our threadlogs <3
Valiant found himself feeling oddly adrift after his conversation with Ajei and Arrluk, somewhere between elation and devastation. He wanted to find @Raindrop right away and share the news, but part of him...It was just hard to move on. He'd been slowly but surely doing just that, of course, but he felt as though he'd looked behind him for the first time and seen how far he'd come. And seeing his past so far in the distance — his daughters, his wife all long, long gone — had broken his heart along familiar fault lines.
It hurt... but he found that he still wanted to go and find Raindrop. She was the best friend that he had, and whatever else lay between them, he knew seeing her would only help right then.
RE: mulberry wine - Raindrop - September 14, 2025
She too had a war of emotions brewing within her. Ever since the beginning, she knew how much she enjoyed Valiant’s company, even just as friends. But part of her worried; even though her two daughters were accepting of a step-father, she couldn’t help but think of Sumac. He was her first true love, the one she wanted to build a life with. But, he chose to leave, taking their one daughter with him. She didn’t know if they’d be back.
Was she supposed to lay in limbo the rest of her life? Raise her remaining children as a single mother?
Valiant had brought back a spark within her that Sumac had taken with him. She loved him, thinking of him often. Now, they were hoping to be married. And she was both excited, and nervous. So, she sought him out. She knew that just being with him could help ease the tension within her.
RE: mulberry wine - Valiant - September 15, 2025
Despite how often they'd begun to see each other, Valiant had to stop and stare when they came into each other's line of sight. He sensed that she'd been looking for him, too, and despite his melancholy thoughts, it warmed something deep inside him. He found a smile growing on his face, feeling silly and stupid for having a flutter in his chest at his age.
But maybe he liked being silly and stupid, with Raindrop.
"Hey, you," he said as he approached, tail swinging low. It was not enough to see her — he ducked his head to nose at her cheek in greeting, taking in her comforting scent. He knew she would be able to smell them on his pelt, but he told her anyway: "I spoke to Arrluk and Ajei."
And he waited for her reaction, keeping her on her toes just a moment longer.
RE: mulberry wine - Raindrop - September 17, 2025
As she approached, she couldn’t help but notice the way he stared, abd it made her blush under her fur. She felt giddy each time they were together. When she closed the distance between them, Valiant came forward and pressed his nose to her cheek. In turn, she drank in his scent, nosing into the ruff of his neck.
She then back away to look at him as he spoke. His words left her tapping her paws, shifting from one to the other. “What did they say?” She asked curiously.
RE: mulberry wine - Valiant - September 17, 2025
She asked, of course. Valiant couldn't keep his expression neutral any longer, his smile widening into a silly grin. His heart hammered at the idea that his diaphanous hopes and dreams might soon be reality — something that was electrifying in both negative and positive ways. Change, though, was always frightening.
And Valiant had never once regretted taking a leap of faith for someone that he loved.
Someone that he loved.
Valiant knew that he loved Raindrop. They had known each other too long and too well for him not to. But now there was a romance to the word; something light and airy instead of weighted by sentiment and duty. It felt balanced, enduring — safe.
"They were happy," he said, his voice rough. He was too grateful to their young leaders to speak with any kind of steadiness on the matter. He waited for his throat to loosen before speaking again: "Did you talk to the kids?"
RE: mulberry wine - Raindrop - September 17, 2025
“They were happy” he said. So, did that mean that they were able to get married? She couldn't help but wonder, even though the answer was pretty obvious.
For now, she would answer his question: “Yes, I have. We discussed it thoroughly and they are alright with us getting married.”
She bit her lip, trying to stifle a girly giggle. Her tail, however, had begun to wag faster. “I’m so excited, Val.” Her voice was quiet, controlling her excitement.
RE: mulberry wine - Valiant - September 17, 2025
Valiant laughed, feeling buoyant and carefree. That was that, then, he supposed. He pressed closer to nuzzle her again, his own tail wheeling in happiness.
"Well?" he asked her, still grinning broadly. "What kind of wedding do you want?"
With a little pang, he remembered that he and Vaïre had never had a wedding. Too much had happened all at once, and the call for one had fallen by the wayside. He wondered if things would have worked out differently if they hadn't skipped that step — but he knew that was useless. He was here with Raindrop, now, and all he could do was make sure they checked it off the list, this time.
And had fun doing it, too.
RE: mulberry wine - Raindrop - September 17, 2025
Oh how wonderful it was when he touched her!
He asked her about what kind of wedding she wanted. To be truthful, she didn't know, mainly because she was not needy. She was just happy that they were together, and that is why they are celebrating.
"I don't know, Val. Nothing large. I want the kids to be involved, and we'll have the alphas, of course. Perhaps we can have a small gathering."
But, it was his wedding just as much as it was hers. "What about you? What would you like?"
RE: mulberry wine - Valiant - September 17, 2025
Valiant's tail, already wagging, picked up speed.
"Somethin' simple, with the family," he agreed, a warm smile on his face. He wished that Minnow could be there, and Dutch — it hurt to imagine a wedding without either of them. But Dutch was far from their reach, and Minnow... he didn't know. Certainly, he didn't know where his brother had gone.
"Maybe..." he said, uncertainly, a tiny thread of hope in his voice. "Maybe we can send for the Blackbear."
But who could they possibly send? There weren't enough of them that he thought they could spare anyone, and more than that — he'd stopped trusting in the world to safely deliver their wolves back to them. Perhaps it would just be a dream.
"Or maybe not," he sighed. But he offered her a wry smile. "Let's do it soon. I'm gonna hunt up somethin' pure white for our wedding blanket. Once it's tanned, we can find us a river and say our vows. That's how they do it in my family, at least — back at Round Valley. Then we have a party. Singin' and dancin' and tellin' stories all night long."
RE: mulberry wine - Raindrop - September 18, 2025
She listened intently, leaning forward ever so slightly to show her interest. "I love that idea." she replied happily, but she couldn't help but remember the absence of his family. She hadn't heard about any of them in a long time. She hadn't seen his sister Minnow since they lived in Moontide. And then, Easy, someone that wasn't only important to Valiant, but also Sumac; she was his adoptive mother. She was long gone as far as Raindrop knew.
The wild's had become so quiet, it seemed like there was only a handful of wolves still inhabiting the land.
When he brought up his plans for the ceremony, she fell for him all over again. "That's wonderful! It's perfect." "I'd love to learn more about your family. All the bits and pieces."
RE: mulberry wine - Valiant - September 18, 2025
They were still just standing where they'd met up. Valiant pressed his nose again to her cheek and began walking, gesturing for her to come along. There was a peaceful little clearing in the woods where he sometimes liked to spend his evenings. Usually alone — but no longer.
"Well, they're big on the arts," he told her, his voice wry. Inviting her to be amused at this fact. "Singing, dancing, story-telling. The Morningside line is real nomadic — itchy paws, is what they call it. But the Round Valley side all stays in one place. That's the side that does weddings. Usually, it's a full carcass, and you bathe each other in the blood and go to the river to wash each other off. I'm thinkin', since we're here, and since we're moon wolves, now, we oughta just use a pelt. We can pass it down, that way."
If it lasted that long.
They came to the clearing, and Valiant stretched out with an inviting space just beside him.
"The words you say are, my heart with yours, my home with yours, my life with yours. Three times, so that it's a promise. Real quiet, just to each other," he went on, his tail whisking lazily through the grass.
RE: mulberry wine - Raindrop - September 22, 2025
He invited her to walk with him, and so she did. She stuck close to his side, hanging on his every word as he spoke of his family’s traditions. They were amazing!
“That’s incredible.” She replied in awe, her eyes wide. “A pelt that could be used for years to come; to warm our beds, to comfort our children, and to hold many memories.” There was a wistfulness to her voice.
Shortly, they made it to a clearing, and Valiant stretched out. She laid beside him, stretching out her front legs and placing one over the over.
Then he shared with her the vows, which were passed down through the generations. They were simple, heartfelt. ”It’s beautiful.” “Oh! When should we have the ceremony?”
RE: mulberry wine - Valiant - September 23, 2025
He was glad when she seemed receptive to his family's traditions — their family, now. Usually, the animal would be one that the couple hunted together, but in deference to the traditions of the moon wolves, Valiant thought he ought to do it as a gesture from husband to wife.
"As soon as I get the pelt done," he laughed, pleased that she seemed so eager. He was eager, too, but if they did not put effort into these tasks, then what sort of gravity could they really have? He wanted this wedding to mean something. He wanted this marriage celebrated.
Valiant pushed his nose against her cheek, not quite sure yet how to display his affection.
"Will you help prepare it?" he asked her. And then, with a more thoughtful expression: "'haps there's somethin' we can all do together to prepare."
But what, he couldn't be sure.