Lost Creek Hollow That I Care Too Much

this is forward dated to the 21st of February. Gives him 2 days of travel.

Arric had left the packlands of the creek and felt his stresses beginning to lessen. And frankly he knew this could all be fixed, but not when he wasn't thinking clearly.  And his words had been harsh to the little girl of the creek, but he had felt it warranted. She had been given leave to do as she pleased with very little correction and time was not kind.

It was with surprise he made it to the borders and smelled both Wren and Silvertongue on its edges. He lay the small weasel he had caught. Its white fur beginning to turn brown in spots. A mottled thing.

He had thought both girls gone from the teekon or at least from the riverclan.
 He closed his eyes knowing when he brought the news to Akavir that it would cause him pain. Pain he didn't need right now. He had enough.

He lifted hia nose letting out a call to someone. That he brought message of importance. Even if they were not allies.

arric. silvertongue had been on patrol, adjusting her three legs to a faster gait. she came to the great dark man in contemplation. his tone had not been so urgent, but still it was important. she had not seen him since the year past, and hesitated. but silvertongue gathered herself once more and at last approached with a genuine, pleased smile. "arric. how good to see you again." she did not yet show her pregnancy, but felt almost as if she did, as if she stood before him glowing.

A grin as Silvertongue arrived. Though his eyes ghosted over her missing limb. 

Heya Silver. Can i give you a hug?

He didn't know exactly ehat had transpored or why. Didn't care either. She was healthy and she seemed in good spirits it was good.

Blue eyes settled on her dear face. She was one of his dearest friends. Even if for a time there had been more to their relationship.

"yes," she said, and stepped forward for the embrace of his strong arms. she had missed it. her remembering was a series of gilded images, a good memory of the creek. when she stepped back, the remainder of her unsurety had gone away; silvertongue stood before arric with a long, welcoming smile. "you look well." and perhaps harried, though she would not assume.

He pulled her in tightly a chuckle in his chest.

He hadn't known what had transpired between the trhee for the trip to Akashingo, but she seemed a little better than what had been described. 

I am for the most part, but I do come with some worrisome news. We had two wolves stop by a little bit back. Offering a bounty for a wolf that hurt one of their wives. I was asked to let both Riverclan and Kvarsheim know that he came thia way. In case of sightings.

silvertongue listened intently, her eyes flashing. "i will say this to the others, arric, gracias," she told the great man, smiling up at him in the next moment. "i am glad you are here as strength in the valley." she shone before him. "what does spring have for you, arric?" silvertongue asked next, wondering if he had at last found what akavir discovered.

A grin. You're welcome. I hope he doesn't come near, but if he does. Please send someone I'll come as fast as I can.

Arric chuckled. I've not been very strong lately. Kinda stupid honestly. a twitch of his nose 

A soft smile. Did you ever hear me talk about Arlette? She's one of our healers. Well are only one now. Being that Eshe left.

He frowned in thought. Unsure if he should mention that Akavir was upset. That seemed unfair to both him and Silver. So he chose to not say anything unless asked.

Anyway her and I have started a relationship. God Silver She's just everything. But uh I may have just messed it up. Or at least made her a little angry with me. I left after having words with the little girl Cygnet and I didn't tell Arlette I was leaving. And she probably gonna rip me a new one when i get back. Which will be deserved.

silvertongue nodded; she would do this. arric began then to speak at length, commanding her attention entire. he had found someone; a pang sounded in her heart, stifled by her deep sudden pleasure for his success. "it sounds like she cares very much," silvertongue murmured, delighted at the look in his eye, the way he had almost shimmered to say her name. "i hope you have not been gone too long!" eshe was gone? and her mind flickered to akavir.

He nodded his head. She does and not juat about me. She likes cares about others to her bones. I'd like you to meet her. And don't worry she knows about our little bit of a pazt you and I. She doesn't mind. She says you sound nice.

He shook his head. Only about 3 days. I plan to go looking for her soon as I get back. Akavir's well hes not talking much. And If i find Eshe imma rip her a new one, but i don't wanna be gone too long.

arlette sounded quite nice, though if silvertongue was being honest, any closeness with akavir might dash their own chances at friendship. she was not sure why she was being quite so dour. self-preservation, perhaps. the creek represented much gained and much lost. "i would like to meet her one day," the sharpfang said diplomatically, truly meaning it but still leery. "where did eshe go? why?" she asked in consternation, inviting arric to walk around the riverborders with her if he so wished.

Arric was bias when it came to Arlette. But he also knew it wasn't far off. She was one of the sweetest she wolves he'd ever met. And had her own tragedies.

Arric chuckled dryly, but didn't press. He didn't know what happened between everyone still. But it was beginning to mess with his friendships and frankly it was irksome.

Arric stepped beside her. A shrug of large muscled shoulder. If i understand some of it. And forgive me,  but frankly. Girl was immature. Spoiled. And cruel. Don't get me wrong. Dick head has his flaws, but he is up front about em. Anyway.

Arric knew he was going off for a minute so he gathered himself.

 She wanted pups like bad to the point of it was an obsession. Spoke to Akavir when she went in heat. He tried to tell her his worries. She got pissed and left. Came back tell him she was done and left again.

surely there was more than that? silvertongue had not known eshe well, or at all, but the abruptness of this pointed to deeper things than she knew. and perhaps even arric, though she would be very shocked to hear that akavir had not confided far more in the stalwart man before her. "heat is not known to make you think rationally. you have one week to decide everything you want, to accept the changes of motherhood, to choose in a new way the mate you want for this," she went on, circling without thought around arric, "and the entire while, your body is weeping for a man." she clicked her tongue, exhaled in sorrow. "i feel for akavir. most women will not let that week pass if children is something they desire. better to rear them alone or in another pack than wait more time." but arric knew this, so why did it feel as though her tongue was becoming barbed once more? and toward a man who had indeed lost everything.

Arric sighed. He knew what Silver was getting it. He watched her with an amused expression as she circled him. He couldn't and wouldn't give into her charms, but that didn't mean. He didnt' find them still attractive or cute. Though in this case, they were also a bit bewildering. Why did she want to know so badly.

Arric shrugged a large shoulder. I can't claim to know all the details. But I do think that Eshe was too immature and sneaky for the position and mateship she was given. I liked her don't get me wrong, but she always reminded me of well for lack of a better term. A woman wiling to do whatever to get what she wanted including hurtin gthose around her.

Arric frowned. I know for a fact Akavir had confided in her his worries for more children, but he hadn't said no. My understanding is the day she went into heat she wanted to have children, he wanted to talk first and she left the pack lands in a huff. Came back a day later and told him it was over. That's all I know. Akavir is being rather quiet about it all. And I left pretty soon after myself to come here and Kvarsheim.

I think this comes after the thread with akavir in my timeline. I apologize if it doesn't nd i just made  amess of things, but fairly certain.

no worries! <3

talk about it? what could they possibly have had to discuss by that point? silvertongue felt that quite a bit more fell to akavir than arric was willing to accept, but also — she had gotten the sort of information she wished and was ready to be done with the subject. "i have mending to do with him. maybe," and then voice trailing, she said, "tell me all the things you love about arlette," she urged, wanting to bring them both into better conversation.

IT wasn't that there was more or less to it than that. It was that this was all Arric knew. Only what Akavir had told him and most of it wasn't much. Most of this he had inferred on his own. He couldn't force the big male to answer him or speak about his problems. No matter how much he needed too.

Arric's eyes lit up and he laughed. You won't accept everything will you?

Another soft chuckle and he shifted his weight thinking, or more so going through it all to come up with an answer. 

I love how sweet she is and how she always tries to do her best at everything she does. She's humble hardly proud at all. She has this naïve quality to her, she expects the best from everyone and refuses to make judgements until she meets and talks to them herself. The knowledge that she keeps in her pretty head is remarkable. She's kinda badass. She will protect those she loves with everything even if she may lose herself in the process. And she accepts everyone as they are. She doesn't try to change them.

oh! arric was truly, truly in love, and the more the giant spoke at such loving length, the softer and more filled with affection her own eyes became. "i wish to meet her," she breathed out, having never seen the man moved before, not even in their own interludes. but those had been sportive and friendly, not the stuff of romance, she supposed, pleased for him and greatly so despite the pang in her heart to lose such days. and why should she even mourn them, sides swelled with young once more? "perhaps the creek and the river can come together again," silvertongue suggested with tentative hope, "the way we had always intended. all of us."

Arric chuckled. Good. Cause i already told her I wanted her to meet you.

Silver was one of his best friends. And Arric was a loyal beast even on a bad day. Perhaps not so loyal to her as he was to Akavir, but loyal all the same.

A frown on his face. I'm not sure Silver we can try. But all of us are probably gonna have reservations. None more so than Akavir. But I'll bring the word back that you want to talk about it. And I hope we can. But it won't be an easy road for any of us.

He thought of Wren then. She had left after saying terrible things to him personally and he didn't even know about her and Akavir. And he could smell her thick and heaby onf Silvers pelt.

arric was pragmatic but warm. it was one of the many things that silvertongue enjoyed about him, his ability to be balanced. and now, she supposed, arlette would come to appreciate it also. "we can take everything as slowly as we need," she promised. they both were owed that, at least. things had come apart so fast, and so starkly. "wren is here now," next, lightly, as her eyes traveled swiftly up toward his eyes, to see arric's reaction.

[

Arric had learn3d a long time ago. That in order to be in control of one's anger. Balance was key. And he had worked at it. For years. It was why he meditated, learned all he could about emotions. Control.

Her next words made his breath catch. He had known it, but still the reality was like a punch to his face. But he tilted an ear.

I hope she's happy.

Though her words reverberated in his head. selfish. She had called him selfish

"she is." something lingered here. something unsaid. formidable. silvertongue did not think she would know. it fell to arric to say, not her to ask. "but i hope you are also," the sharpfang said next, hoping to turn them. there was little more to say; did he wish to get back to arlette? her eyes studied him for a moment, remembering only sweet things.

A small smile. Thats good then. The past can stay there. But I can't promise to be kind. I can be civil. Ahe left us in a lurch not to mention said some pretty shitty things. So forgive me if I'm not her biggest fan. But.

He motioned to Silver. She makes you happy and she's happy im glad for it.

He chuckled. You know me Silver. Not much gets me down for long.

A shrug of large shoulders.

arric shared. silvertongue listened. wren stood for no disrespect or the hint of it. they were each brusque in their own way, her wife, arric, and akavir. maybe it had come to pass that their ways were colliding far too often. at any rate, she nodded and nudged his shoulder a little. "i have seen elk in the valley. a band of six cows and two bulls. they were headed east." her eyes were pleasant, moving away from wren. the chapter of this must be closed for all.

It had been a little more than differing opionions. Both Wren and Arric had said some really insensitive things. But he would move on from it. It sounded as if he was never going to get an apology. She would avoid them forever. And so be it.

His eyes lit up. We did just hunt some not long ago. Ensio planned it. Perhaps he can come up with another one and we can do more of a group one if you have hunters to spare.

a rueful look; they did not! unless; "perhaps one," she said, thinking of ksura and then how riverclan's influence had slowly declined with each healer who left their borders behind. she did not volunteer wren for this. "maybe two." ash star, perhaps. a sigh came, and she smiled up at him. "i will not keep you longer," she said gently. "she will be missing you."