Cricket Creek Bog Time heals all wounds

Bit of trek, approximately 40 miles but I could be wrong since I'm on mobile and can't accurately measure the distance but I did research and wolves on average travel 30 miles a day (48 km). Trying to keep the semi realistic rule in mind! Lmk if I need to change anything! 

@Effie and Ryes' travels began as the sun barely crested the horizon, a heavenly orangey, yellow, pink glow blessed the lands beneath their feet. A breeze no stronger than an ant wafted between the trees and the pairs accustomed fur. Early morning dew soaked into the pads and hair between Ryes feet, cold temperatures had him vigorously shaking the wet out of sensitive feet. Healing from old wounds, especially of the feet, was always particularly hard for the male, his body never keen on healing too quickly. It made him feel old and poorly built, but the extra recovery time wasn't without its merits. Clouds, rain and stronger winds came to ruin the beauty of the early morning, with no sign of letting up Rye pushed on with Effie, he didn't wish to travel under such conditions but he didn't want to be without protection, food and shelter for much longer either. The lesser evil chosen was indeed lesser. 

As they approached the bog the river was lively and teeming with amphibious and fowl life, both creatures hunting in the newly expanded river. Rain brought forth life but also death in a weird life sustaining cycle. With the rain down to a fine mist late afternoon, Rye took the opportunity to relax underneath a lone tree, taking a moment to contemplate their next move. His knowledge of the area had run out, but the bog had an essence of familiarity, however it was easier to catch a fly than to nail down what made it familiar. Although soon Ryes' mind turned to Effie, he glanced over to her, wondering what was in her mind. What she was thinking. The trip to the bog wasn't entirely silent but quiet contemplative thoughts was the only filler the last few hours. There was still so much mystic to her and Rye ventured to find out. 

"Effie" He either shouted or spoke quietly depending on her distance from him, "I've got a question for you." Rye wasn't sure she would be willing to answer his future questions, as much as he wanted his curiosity sated, he wouldn't push her into a corner.

The rain and the cold were not pleasant to travel in; it meant a constantly wet coat and a chill that she could feel in her bones. But at no point did it make her want to stop—she knew they needed to find somewhere permanent to stay, and that meant traveling efficiently so that they could find their old pack before it got really cold. 

They stopped near a swollen river, and she followed closely as he found a spot under a tree to rest. She couldn't be sure, but he seemed overly bothered by the wetness on his feet, and she thought rest would be good if they were causing him discomfort. Effie settled down next to him and watched as a turtle swam through the water, leaving ripples behind it. Occasionally, it would stop and poke its head above the surface and look around, presumably for something to eat, and then it would disappear again, back on the move. 

Rye said her name, and she turned from the turtle to look at him. He said he had a question for her, and she offered him a shy smile. What would you like to ask me? Was it a serious question? Or a question about her past? Maybe he just wanted to know if she was hungry. Her mind swirled with all the possibilities as she waited for him to speak again.

Rye did in fact wish to know of Effies past, his memory of meeting the female had not been lost to the library of memories. Losing family was hard to do, aside from death, he could only speculate they abandoned her or all died. Rye could not differentiate which was worse, both were equally tragic. The male held his breath, hesitation thick in the air around him. Would he be pushing too far? Would he upset her? Like always curiosity won the favor from the council of good and evil.

How to word his question was the ultimate challenge, he wanted to frame it delicately, without upsetting her. Second thoughts scurried through his mind but left the decision unfazed. He found his words, hopefully they would be enough. "Effie, I was wondering about— Well first, I want to explain that you don't have to answer me, I won't be upset. I promise." He gave Effie a small smile for reassurance before moving on, "I remember when we first got to know each other, you said that you were waiting for your family. Did— Did they leave you?" His voice was soft, and his eyes were attentive to Effies features. Rye thought about using the word abandoned but feared it was too strong, however he questioned internally if she would understand what he meant by leave.

He was searching for honesty but would understand if it was not given, although he wouldn't know either way if she chose to lie. Facing truths are difficult and often most, including himself, never wanted to face it willingly.

The way he prefaced his question with the assurance that she didn't have to answer made her a little nervous. How bad was it, Effie wondered, that he needed to say that first? She gave him a wary smile and nodded, fairly certain that she would give him the truth regardless of what he asked; she had no reason or desire to keep things from Rye. 

He continued, and then she understood why he was so hesitant. He wanted to know about her family—if something had happened to them. It was only natural that he would be curious about it, especially since there had been absolutely no sign of any of them at any point since she and Rye first met. Her expression turned sad, and she looked down. I don't know what happened to them, she told him. They're just gone. I haven't found a single trace of any of them, so I can only assume that they left while I was missing. They probably assumed she had been dead since she was never trained to be able to take care of herself—that wasn't what women needed to worry about in her family. I miss them, and I would never wish any harm on them, but I don't know that I would live with them now even if they turned up, she added hesitantly. Things were different where I grew up, and I've only just realized that it wasn't different in a good way. Her upbringing had only done her a disservice once she found herself suddenly on her own.

Rye averted his gaze to help relieve any pressue Effie may have felt but occasionally glanced back at her to show he was still paying attention. Her words reached his heart and he felt sympathy for the female, however as she added the last piece there was a shift in emotion. Nearly anger but not quite. Most people have some qualms with how their parents raised them but Effie formed her words in such a way it hinted at a deeper, far more sinister meaning. Rye knew better than to speculate and stir his own pot but Effie genuinely sounded perturbed by her own upbringing.

"Would you like to tell me about them? Your family and what they were like." This time Rye would leave it up to Effie to decide if she wanted to tell, even if he reassured her last time, at least there appeared to be more control. Talking about the past was a surefire way to bring up buried emotions, negative and positive but as long as he left a way out of the conversation, Rye felt it okay to ask away.

The male ccouldn't say he had my issues with the way his childhood played out, in fact he would say it was pretty good. He did regret that his youth wasn't spent training for fighting, not that he went without but as a hyperactive pup, he never payed any attention in training. A fact that would no doubt come to bite him hard some day.

When he pressed for more info, Effie nodded, a sad smile forming on her face. She honestly didn't mind telling him about it, she just wasn't sure how he would react; her upbringing was not what anyone would call traditional, and now that she had seen the world for what it was, she was a little self-conscious about how others might react. But she would tell him, simply because he asked and at this point, she would do almost anything he asked of her. My family viewed things differently than most others, she started, looking down at her paws. I was raised to believe that women had a place and that it was lower than men. We were not allowed to hunt or explore; we could only do things they viewed as suitable for women. Effie continued. Our main purpose was to find a husband and have children. We could learn of plants and help fellow women rear their children, but we were not permitted to do much else and we could never speak out against a man. She shook her head and sighed. That is why my hunting skills are so bad and why I have trouble finding my way around. She had been kept from learning very important skills, and now that she understood, she was sad and disappointed. 

But, I don't want to live that way anymore. I would like children some day, but I also want to hunt and be able to find my way home if I get lost. She raised her gaze to meet Rye's once more. It's hard, sometimes, to break the old way of thinking. At times, I struggle to know if I'm doing something because it's what I want or because I want to please those around me. So, now he knew about her family and probably had answers to any questions about her stunted skills, and she waited to see if he had anymore questions.

Effies story was eye opening, Rye had little knowledge of the world outside his family pack and the Grove, both docile homes with what he considered fair views. Disgust, indignation and astonishment sat in the males mind like a brick, sinking deeper as if stuck in quicksand. Sympathy accompanied the emotional trio once Effie began expressing her inner struggles. Rye met the females gaze, his eyes soft with solace and ears cupped to listen to her final bit of words.

What was there to say that she hadn't already pieced together. Rye had to give credit where it was due, she brought herself out of the canyon and was following new horizons. He couldn't lie, that was damn impressive. "Well," He began, looking back towards the bog. "There isn't much to say but I for one am impressed. Instead of succumbing to that miserable lifestyle you chose to rise above it and move forward. Not many posses the will power to part from what they were raised to be. You are one of a kind. I know things may be a tad confusing now but you'll get to where you want to be. You've gotten this far on your own anyhow." Ryes voice sounded delighted and nearly thrilled but for certain his smile was chuffed. His tail swished and his bottom wiggled from the strenght of his own tail. All the negative emotions dissipated admist the joy he felt for Effie. He was a sucker for success stories, they never failed to make the male giddy. 

Forcing himself to straighten up and be serious for a moment, Rye spoke calmly, "I hope you know that I see you as an equal. I think I've said it before but if not, I'll say now. Without you, I would've been dead by now. You helped save me— no, us from starvation. For that, I thank you." Rye playfully bowed and glanced up at her with a goofy lopsided grin before sitting back up. He didn't want her feeling less-than and from now on he was going to make sure she felt equal.

His words were kind, but she couldn't help wonder how much of that was out of sheer necessity rather than bravery. The instinct to survive had brought her clumsily into a new life, and she didn't think she could take much credit for that—definitely not as much credit as he was giving her. But some old habits died hard, and she shied away from expressing that to him, afraid that by countering his compliment with resistance and insecurity, she might offend him. Not so much on my own, she did point out. I've had a lot of help from you, and I'm very grateful for that. She touched her nose gently to his cheek as a sign of her immense gratitude. She wished she could do more. 

His next words had her speechless; she had never been so respected in her life, and for it to come from someone who had seen her at her most vulnerable caused many emotions to swell in her chest. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes, and she was helpless to stop them. Even as he playfully bowed, looking up to offer her a handsome, playful grin, the tears began to fall. She sniffled. I'm sorry, she said quietly. That just— Effie sniffled again. —that just really means a lot—more than I can properly express.

We can wrap up after your post or this one

There was something beautiful to be said about heart-felt moments. The way two lives could meld into one for a short time, was magnificent. The vulnerability gifted to each individual was craddled like a newborn babe. Sheltered, protected and cared for. Rye lived for those moments and thrived in them, cherishing each second. He couldn't stop the smile from forming on his lips as she thanked him and showed him her appreciation.

The male caught the small reflection of the grey sky in Effies tears, raising a few alarms in his head but he didn't immediately usher in the apologies, instead he let her speak for herself. His restraint paid off as she explained her tears. "It's quite alright. It was something you needed to hear and I'm happy to be the one that said it." He gave her another smile and gently nudged the side of her cheek with his muzzle. 

As untimely as ever, the rain picked back up and brought along gusts of wind. Making Rye a little agitated for ruining a good talk. Well all good things must come to an end. The male stretched, claws digging into the muddied grounds. "We should get going, before it gets worse. I don't know precisely where to go but I remember those big mountains." Not exactly the best lead to follow but it was all Rye had, Effie could of course lead if she knew something better.