Bearclaw Valley Screaming, shouting, throwing your glassware to the floor

Slightly backdated to Nov. 21st, taking place after this thread

Returning to Bearclaw, Milan trotted swiftly through the territory with the intention of returning to her den. Pure liquid embarrassment was flowing down her cheeks now - she felt pathetic.

The woman wanted nothing more than to curl up and sob until she felt better. She knew that it was surely not this big of a deal, that her tears were not warranted, and yet this only made her feel far worse. She took such pride in her ability to comfort other's, yet in the face of her own feelings it quickly became too much to handle.

She wished not to be seen in her sorry state, and yet she wished for a shoulder to cry on all the same.

*barges in*

Two scents entered the packland- one familiar, feminine and the other masculine and unknown to Ameline. But only one set of tracks announced that Milan had returned home from a visit to Swiftcurrent. Chuffed that the woman had taken her advice and hungry for good news, she followed in the woman’s wake hoping to meander casually past and glean some details of how the visit had gone. 

But where she expected sunshine and smiles she saw only vexation and tears. Her hackles lifted, ears pricked as she ranged toward the woman now with concern, looking for any sign that she had been harmed. 

Nobody liked being found like this, but as the woman’s leader she felt compelled to step in and find out what had caused Milan so much grief.

If anyone were to find her, she was glad it was Ameline.

Staring at the other woman tears welled in her eyes. It would not be helped. Oh Ameline, it all went just horribly. She nearly sobbed as she spoke. Milan was miserable, desperate for the comfort of another.

As of late, Frederick had been her comfort. But what was she to do now? She could not bare to speak of this with him. She would finish her cry, and then it would be done.

Put his head on a pile of bones at the borders.

But he was a Swiftcurrent wolf; such an act would provoke war. 

Torture him and leave him laying in the stinking swamp to the North so that he dies in the mud.

Still not optimal- and messy. The swamp might be partially frozen now, anyway. His corpse wouldn’t be as easily concealed.

Castration?

Possible. But it’d take many wolves to hold him down in order to perform such an intrusive operation and again- probably might be a crime.

She took a breath, and quieted the impulse to seek punishment before an explanation. All she could see was a miserable woman, and she assumed the worst had happened. All three options were enticing, but not worth the effort if it provoked a war- from what she knew there was enough of that going on elsewhere. She’d need a reason before she ordered action.

It’th okay to cry, She said, settling in. D’you wanna tell me what happened? She coached, if the woman could summon the words.

Milan shook her head, a shaky sigh escaping her. Oh, it's silly.. She said, her ears dropping the slightest bit. I'm embarrassed is all.

She looked to Ameline after a moment, sapphire eyes searching the face of the other. I visited just as you said, and he invited me into his den. She began to recount the story, pausing as she reached the less pleasant end of it. A woman came and ordered him to escort me out. That I suppose I can understand, but you should have seen the way Frederick looked at me.

Cold, unforgiving. Devoid of any love he held for her. He's never looked at me so coldly, even when we were strangers.

Milan tied to bury her woes, even though something was clearly bothering her. Ameline wondered again just how deep of a grave would be deep enough to bury Frederick so that no trace of him would ever be found, especially when Milan explained that she had been invited back to his den. 

Six feet? no. 
Seven feet? not deep enough. 
Twelve feet. Twelve feet deep might be enough so that no roots ever sapped the fertilizer from his body and made ugly flowers. 

She exhaled slowly, visibly relieved to hear that Frederick hadn't done something unthinkable, and that it was another wolf's disapproval that had caused the conflict. She drew in a cleansing breath and rolled her eyes. Ahhhh, fuck. Yeah, I shoulda told ya, She said, with a slight wince. We're good with the pack, but yeah, the alpha of Thwiftcurrent kind of hath a mathive thtick up hith ath. They all mean well but yeah, you wanna find wolveth that're wound tighter'n a thnail inthide a shell, uh, Thwiftcurrent'th the plathe to find 'em. She said. She'd never come to understand exactly why Akavir was the way he was, but she figured it had something to do with either a woman, or some Daddy issues he'd never figured out. 

Unfortunately, it seemed as though Frederick had found a place that suited him well, if he turned on Milan as quickly as she said he did. Thoundth pretty shitty of him to make you feel bad for hith mithtake, She commented, sourly. She sighed and shrugged. Guyth do not handle shame well, they really don't. It'th like their leatht favourite thing. They change into a completely different perthon when they feel ashamed of themthelveth, but that doethn't mean he should take it out on you. She remembered how Ancelin had looked when he'd been bested in battle, when they'd been young. For all they'd been through together, the expression he'd had on his face when he figured he'd lost her affection in the show of force was one that she wouldn't easily forget. He'th gonna hafta owe you one heck of an apology. She said, bumping her shoulder against Milan's, hoping she might feel a bit more validated.

tags are for ref!

She listened to Ameline's words with her eyes fixed to the ground. Still she felt as though maybe, just maybe, she was being too sensitive. She hoped that to be the case.

But maybe @Frederick would come speak to her, and if that time came she was sure they would be able to work things out. She hoped they would. He was a good man, he would not hurt her, but she was not sure that she would find the confidence to visit him at Swiftcurrent again.

I just need time to think. Milan decided, letting out a sigh. She offered Ameline a careful bump to the shoulder as if to say 'I'm okay' before trotting off.

Milan seemed to be through with talking, and made to leave, but the stubborn Regina wasn’t going to let her go off and wallow. She rose to her feet and called out with a bark, moving to intercept Milan’s path, at least temporarily. 

Hey, She said, her gaze stern for a moment, before it softened. Take those time and think, for shure, She said, and reached out to nose the woman’s cheek. Jutht reach out if you evuh wanna talk, alright? She said. Ethpecially if you wanna bitch. But yuh not alone, alright? she reminded her.

She could not help but smile. You're a good friend, Ameline. Her words were genuine, returning her nose to the cheek.

I'll be okay, really. She promised. If I'm not I promise that you'll be the first I go to.

A good friend.

It had been a while since someone had called her that. She had had good friends when she had been a child- but had lost them when she reached maturity. She was beginning again, with a new handful of wolves and on her turf, good friends were not going to be kicked out or put down just because they weren’t blood.

Alright. And- She added, If you ever need thomeone to help you kick hith ath, She said, with a blithe shrug. You can count on me for that too.

That earned a snicker from her. We'll see. He still has time to redeem himself.

A flick of her tail, and then she was off.