Fly away with me

@Raissa if you've time.

FitzDutiful was very aware that he had left things in a bad way when he had left Raissa on the borders on the Caldera land. After talking to Fox he had realised it was time to take the matter into his own paws and go find her. He had hoped that she would come to the Caldera but that hadn't happened, so now he was going to ask her to come, to be with him.

He approached the Blackfeather Woods lands with a sense of trepidation over him. Being very mindful to stay a respectful distance away from the borders, he threw his head back and howled for Raissa. He hoped she was around within earshot else this would be a waste of time and he may end up getting chased off. But he was here on a mission. It may involve Raissa coming to live with him at the Caldera, but it might also just end with them courting for a while before the move.

It was never a doubt that Raissa would coming to the Caldera. It was certain Fitz would never leave the Caldera though. He had too many ties, too many connections to ever leave. All he could hope was that Raissa didn't have the same yet.

Raissa, having been in a terribly morbid mood since her visit with Fitz, let the minutes tick by after she the howl calling her. She finally heaved herself to her paws and started dragging herself to the border. His words had really hit her soft spot and the effect was showing. She hadn't eaten in at least 5 days. She rarely left her den and she avoided her pack mates at all costs. Her normally sleek tri-colored fur was matted and dull. Her fiery eyes had lost their smolder and became burnt out coals, their sparkle gone. She had never, ever felt like this before. Sure she had a couple flings earlier on, but she had never felt like this about someone before. She managed to pull herself out of her thoughts just before she came within sight of the visitor.

None other then Fitz stood waiting for a return to his call, his ears and eyes alert. Having no intention to talk to him, the heartbroken girl turned to walk away. If it wasn't for the stupid stick that cracked extremely loudly underneath her paw.

"Fuck..." Raissa glanced over her now bony shoulder to look at the wolf that had held her future. And crushed it.

Is her ankle causing her troubles? I don't remember if she had it hurt in the Caldera thread or not!

Raissa didn't look like herself. Apparently she had taken their breakup even harder than he had (if you could call it a break up when they were never actually together). He only noticed her when the stick snapped, capturing his attention, even then it took him a while to realise it was her. She looked like she hadn't taken care of herself since they last spoke and his heart broke further. What had he done?

"Raissa?" he called out to her, seeing her glance over her shoulder and confirm it was her. "My god!" he exclaimed quietly to himself, realising now just how different their packs were. His pack would have never let him get so dishevelled, matted, uncared for. That her pack could was more proof that he had made a very stupid call.

Wary that any moment she might leave her confessed everything right there and then. "I'm sorry. I though I was pushing you to join the Caldera, that it wasn't something you wanted. And then I thought that maybe it wasn't what you wanted because you never came back. I thought that meant you didn't want me. But I'm not letting that happen without a fight, Raissa. I want to look after you, at the Caldera, I want to help you, be with you. Please forgive me, Raissa. Please, come with me to the Caldera. Let me take care of you and make this up to you."

We started the Caldera thread before she broke her ankle, so no... we can just assume it happens a little while later :P

The surprise was clearly evident in his eyes as he conformed that the uncared for girl was indeed the same wolf he had seen earlier. When he spoke Raissa's eyes were the ones that were surprise. Maybe he really did want to be with her. The thought brought a little sparkle back to her dull orange eyes and put a small spring in her step as she padded over to Fitz.

"I thought when you left me at the border, that meant you didn't want to see me again. I guess I just got kind of depressed after that. That was dumb..." she admitted, looking up at him. She had never considered that he was waiting for her and the fact that he came to find her filled her heart with happiness. He actually cared about her, like no one else ever had.

When she remembered what she must look like, she blushed and lowered head in embarrassment. "Oh my god, I must look terrible! I'm so sorry I look like this!" she apologized quickly, an invisible blush heating her cheeks.

A smile came to his face as she padded closer to him. She wasn't going to turn and run away, thankfully. An explanation was given about what happened but when she described herself as dumb, Fitz was quick to confirm that he too had suffered from that. "I was too. I should have come sooner."

A realisation dawned upon Raissa that she didn't look her best but Fitz didn't mind. To be honest, he was fairly angry with her pack that no one had checked on her. "I don't mind. You still look lovely," he reassured her. He still couldn't understand why no one had checked on her. Fitz knew he had had a lonesome time from his pack but he had still seen wolves in the distance and if not for the pack meeting he was sure that Peregrine or Fox would have sought him out. It was one of the things he loved about his home.

"Come with me." he told her. "Come now. I don't want to leave you here alone." He knew the Caldera pack was filling up fast. There was only so many wolves they could support and he wanted to get Raissa in their ranks before Peregrine and Fox had to start turning wolves away.

She just told her pack that she was going to leave, and I still don't know their reactions, but I think it would be better if she left :D

Raissa's flaming eyes sparkled at the offer. At the escape. She could go now and never look back. She could live with Fitz in the sun and it would be amazing, perfect, a life she had never thought she could have. There was no way she would pass that up. She turned and looked over her shoulder, checking to see if any wolves were on patrol at the moment. Seeing none, she placed a dainty paw closer to Fitz, her first step towards happiness, towards her new life. A feeling of joy filled her at the realization and she bounded all the way out of BlackFeather territory.

"I will. I will come with you, right now." she grinned as she said the words. She was so filled with joy that she couldn't care what her old pack thought in the least. They were in her past now.

She smiled as she said the same words she had when she first met this wolf that turned her life around. "Shall we?"

I'll go start the joining thread at RHC!

FitzDutiful waited with baited breath for Raissa's response. Would she come this time or had he read her right all those days ago when he thought he had pushed her too far. He was almost about to back out of this when her response drifted through the air towards his ears. I will.

They were going! Right now! Trying his best not to jump for joy (for who knew who might be watching their every move) FitzDutiful let his pleasure show in his eyes. They shone.

"Do you need to get anything before we go?" he asked her, mindful that last time she has spoke of needing to fetch things.

I want to keep this one going for a little long, just for Exp :P And I love your new avatar!! Its perfection! <3

Raissa turned her head and looked back into the woods where she had come from. There wasn't anything in there that was worth risking her life for, that was for sure. She recalled the way Meldresi had snarled the words get out and shivered. Nope, there was nothing she needed to grab. The only things she did have were a couple pelts that she had collected to make a bed sort of thing. Those and some stones she had found in the caves.

Shaking her head she turned back to Fitz. "Nope, I think I'm good." she assured him, smiling. There was no need for him to know that she had the chance of getting her throat ripped out if she went back. She just hoped her eyes wouldn't betray her fear.

One more post from you then I think this should be exp worthy!

Fitz looked towards Raissa and caught a shiver run through her. He couldn't deny that he was concerned for he currently had no idea what was going to happen and he wasn't a huge fan of the unknown. There was no indication of whether the pack they were leaving would let them go peacefully and only his vague hope that the Caldera would allow Raissa to join. With pack relations strained with one pack it hadn't really passed his mind, until now, that they may not want the same with another pack.

Regardless, he didn't let any of these fears show and instead focused on Raissa, on the here and now - just like she wasn't showing her fears either. "Good," FitzDutiful responded, kindness and affection in his words and actions as he turned ready to go. "Time to head to the Caldera then."

Alrighty, that's the end :D

Raissa smiled, the warmth she felt pushing away all of the feelings of fear she had felt previously. Shaking her pelt quickly to get rid of any other lingering fears, she trotted up to Fitz side and together they walked out of those dark woods and into the sun, where her new life awaited.

Meeting Fitz, it had changed her. Definitely for the better, something about her had definitely changed. She could feel it swell up inside her and it made her fur tingle.

Leaving the woods with him, she finally figured out what it was. She was happy.