tiredness dogs her steps, each one feeling as if she may soon sink into the earth. but she could not bear to remain at the court a moment longer than necessary, not when she'd promised she'd be home so much earlier.
her remaining stump of a tail twitches with relief, and the overwhelming sensation is a balm against her worry. a howl for @Artyom, and she angles towards the rendezvous. only a few minutes pass before two figure stampede from the right, twin bundles of energy that are juniper and @Frost. the matriarch pulls them lose and showers the pair with affection, the wave of relief cresting when she sees them whole an unharmed. questions follow, and she settles down on her haunches, promising answers when their father arrives.
her remaining stump of a tail twitches with relief, and the overwhelming sensation is a balm against her worry. a howl for @Artyom, and she angles towards the rendezvous. only a few minutes pass before two figure stampede from the right, twin bundles of energy that are juniper and @Frost. the matriarch pulls them lose and showers the pair with affection, the wave of relief cresting when she sees them whole an unharmed. questions follow, and she settles down on her haunches, promising answers when their father arrives.
July 22, 2020, 02:44 PM
Since news of the fight reached him, Artyom had failed to settle. He distanced himself from the cubs, leaving them under the care if comrades while he looked for his absent and wounded mate in the wilds beyond their home. While he wanted nothing more to hold them close, the gilded patriarch did not trust himself to shield his children from the weight of his very real, very raw fear for what fate might've robbed them of their mother.
Exhaustion had crept into his aching bones and, reluctant to end his search, he knew he was no use without allowing his body to rest. He returned to the stream, fruitless and drained, but there was no time to seek comfort among the affection of his sons and daughters. Dawn's announced arrival lifted his gaze, his ears, his fragile spirit, and at once Artyom was sprinting through the pallid trees to locate her.
Nothing could've prepared him for the sight of his beloved, made rugged by battle. All his bottled stress left the Alpha's maw in a sob as he rallied to Dawn's side where he belonged, aimed to reach out and touch her, assure himself that she was real.
"Oh, Dawn," Artyom crooned, aware suddenly that all of their young had evaded their sitter to greet their dam, but made no move to reprimand them. Earthen eyes sought those of his mate, and his lips trembled; "what happened?"
Exhaustion had crept into his aching bones and, reluctant to end his search, he knew he was no use without allowing his body to rest. He returned to the stream, fruitless and drained, but there was no time to seek comfort among the affection of his sons and daughters. Dawn's announced arrival lifted his gaze, his ears, his fragile spirit, and at once Artyom was sprinting through the pallid trees to locate her.
Nothing could've prepared him for the sight of his beloved, made rugged by battle. All his bottled stress left the Alpha's maw in a sob as he rallied to Dawn's side where he belonged, aimed to reach out and touch her, assure himself that she was real.
"Oh, Dawn," Artyom crooned, aware suddenly that all of their young had evaded their sitter to greet their dam, but made no move to reprimand them. Earthen eyes sought those of his mate, and his lips trembled; "what happened?"
a kiss to frost's forehead, and then her mate, his worry tangible, within sight. she rises, moving to meet him with a fierce longing to draw him close. she presses kisses to her mate's cheek, relief total. worry vanquished, she is left only with the weight of her hurts, exhaustion, and a fierce gladness to be back in her family's arms. "artyom," she breaths, the thrum of her heart finally slowing.
"the saints, a group in the mountains — I was looking for Surya, a day's south of here. their leader is the same wolf who attacked aphrodite. he threatened us, and attacked me." juniper moves to ask a question; the huntress silences her with a glance that says not now. a kiss to her daughter's cheek instead, and then she continues, though most of her only which to lean into her mates embrace, to sleep for a day in their den. "there was another male there; he fought with me. we split up, I didn't want," she pauses, shifting closer, "to lead him back here. the court helped me, as soon as I could, I came back here." it is an incomplete tale, the details of which she'll fill in when the ears of her children aren't tuned in. a whine, low and longing, and she leans in toward her mate, hurt forgotten a moment as she basks in this simple relief.
"the saints, a group in the mountains — I was looking for Surya, a day's south of here. their leader is the same wolf who attacked aphrodite. he threatened us, and attacked me." juniper moves to ask a question; the huntress silences her with a glance that says not now. a kiss to her daughter's cheek instead, and then she continues, though most of her only which to lean into her mates embrace, to sleep for a day in their den. "there was another male there; he fought with me. we split up, I didn't want," she pauses, shifting closer, "to lead him back here. the court helped me, as soon as I could, I came back here." it is an incomplete tale, the details of which she'll fill in when the ears of her children aren't tuned in. a whine, low and longing, and she leans in toward her mate, hurt forgotten a moment as she basks in this simple relief.
July 22, 2020, 03:48 PM
He saw relief in the warmth of her eyes, and Artyom welcomed her to him. Following a peppered kiss to his mate's sterling brow, he shifted enough to press his brow lovingly to her own. Eyelids fluttered closed, the golden Alpha tried to reign in emotion that threatened to overwhelm him and breathed deep the scent of his beloved: blood and herbs, enough to rouse new anger at the beast who dared touch a hair on her body.
"The one who fought with you," he answered, finally drawing back enough to better look upon her face, "he came here to check that you'd made it home." A watery smile then, as he fought to keep himself from crumbling. "I was so worried."
I thought you were dead!
He inhaled, lashed his tail as he swept his dark eyes over the bold Juniper at their feet - what if their daughter had been there? She was often running off into the unknown, how much longer could they confine her to home?
He moved again, eager to wrap his mate firmly in his embrace to convince himself she was really there, that she was okay. His nose poked delicately at a marring of her flesh, and he whined. "Lumiya sent a messenger, who arrived just after your fighter did," he informed, tongue aiming to soothe her aches, "and it seems we are not the only ones to suffer the wolf dog's wrath. The court requests our aid in removing him." He lifted his head, and sought her gaze. Whitebark was not home to warriors and Artyom would not force his packmates to run head-first into danger, but something had to be done about Donovan.
"And I intend to answer."
"The one who fought with you," he answered, finally drawing back enough to better look upon her face, "he came here to check that you'd made it home." A watery smile then, as he fought to keep himself from crumbling. "I was so worried."
I thought you were dead!
He inhaled, lashed his tail as he swept his dark eyes over the bold Juniper at their feet - what if their daughter had been there? She was often running off into the unknown, how much longer could they confine her to home?
He moved again, eager to wrap his mate firmly in his embrace to convince himself she was really there, that she was okay. His nose poked delicately at a marring of her flesh, and he whined. "Lumiya sent a messenger, who arrived just after your fighter did," he informed, tongue aiming to soothe her aches, "and it seems we are not the only ones to suffer the wolf dog's wrath. The court requests our aid in removing him." He lifted his head, and sought her gaze. Whitebark was not home to warriors and Artyom would not force his packmates to run head-first into danger, but something had to be done about Donovan.
"And I intend to answer."
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