Greatwater Lake shards in the water

figured i'd start this for us @Malice :) set before the return to bfw thread.

There was still a limp to Cicero's step from his injured right leg as he walked along the lower half of Greatwater Lake, slowly but surely making his way home. Home was all that was on his mind, and he wondered how things'd be with Damien. It felt like forever since he had seen his brother; probably because he had been hiding, mostly, staying away. Afraid of the touch, afraid of the affection, and ashamed to boot. Maybe it would be different. But Cicero knew it would not be so until he were to make it different himself.

He glanced at the watery frays of the lake as he walked and licked his lips, tired and weary. Besides the scabs that marred his right leg he had various healing wounds and missing fur along the left side of his neck and shoulder from the altercation with the ruddy wolf. Night was slowly starting to settle in and it made Cicero quicken his broken pace in an effort to get home faster, lest he run into anyone unfavourable.

Just wanted to start myself before I saw this XD thank you for starting :)

Malice had been able to travel more, leaving Sage in charge. She felt like the young girl liked her spot as a beta, and Malice liked wandering off sometimes. She trusted the obsidian girl, as she had been able to handle the pack all on her own while Malice was talking to Burke. She felt like she needed to thank Cicero, even though Burke didn't agree with her on that. He had said she could've easily done it alone. But if someone is willing to do something for you, the least thing you could do is say thank you. At least, that's how Malice thought about it. Her other goal was to apologize to Nemesis, not only because she knew that she had been wrong, but because she didn't want to have enemies in Burke's pack. Burke, though big and scary, seemed like a nice and calm man if you were able to break through his bubble.

Spring made the queen's thoughts focus on something more than just wandering farther and farther. She wanted to meet others, possibly recruit some if they were interested. But of all the wolves she could've ran into, it was the young boy who she was looking for. She stopped in her tracks, observing the black and white wolf as he limped in the direction of the Dark Brotherhood. What had happened to the poor boy? A worried face appeared on the dark female's face, walking after him, just a little faster than him to catch up. 

Cicero? What a coincidence that I find myself running into you again. She called out to him, hoping he would stop to let her say what she really wanted to say.

It was not hard to catch up to Cicero, for he was slowed down by the strain of his wounds. In a way he derived some sort of sick pleasure from it, the pain that tore through his body every step that he took upon his right leg. Others would call it sick, anyway. Cicero did not care much, savoured the feeling, for it made him feel alive. He wondered if she would find him, the ruddy girl, if she would want to fight him again or if she would be ready to talk. His hopes were not too high, but a part of Cicero hoped that she would so that they could help each other.

Mismatched eyes shifted towards Malice as she closed the gap between them, guarded at first, for the nightfall made him so, but relaxing as soon as he realised who was beside him. He did not fear Malice. She was amicable — worried, almost — as she looked upon him and he forced a narrow smile to his face that betrayed his weariness but also that he was glad to see her again.

"Indeed," Cicero agreed, although what with a lake separating their packs, it was no real miracle that they would run into one another eventually; if they wanted to. "How did meeting Burke go?" Cicero asked, curious for her efforts as well as Burke's. In Cicero's eyes, Burke was not an unreasonable wolf. He could be harsh, but he was also compassionate oftentimes.

Malice caught up with the young boy, first taking a good couple seconds to stare at his wounds. What had he gotten himself into? While no healer or even someone with just the slightest idea of what herbs could do, she could see that the wounds were pretty painful. She wondered if Veritas could fix him up, though found it unnecessary to ask. The more developed pack, Dark Brotherhood, was sure to have a good healer. At least, that's what she thought.

Her gaze darted to his bi-colored eyes as he talked as if he didn't look like he had come straight out of battle. Darn it, if she had only the slightest idea of what she could do for him, she would do it without hesitating. She needed to thank him for his deeds, but this wasn't going to work. Her only knowledge of herbs were the things Veritas had told her, and that wasn't much. He asked her how the meeting went and she was happy to say that it had gone pretty good. It was definitely interesting, and we have come to a peaceful agreement. Thank you for carrying the message to Burke, I mean it. If there is anything I could do for you in return, you know where to find me. She said, almost sighing, relieved to have reached one of her goals.

Now, back to him. What had the young boy done to get these painful looking wounds? But what has happened to you? Who is the one who did that to your leg? She asked, a worried look on her ying-yang face as she pointed at the wound on his leg with her muzzle.

Cicero smiled as Malice offered to do something for him if he wished it so. He was glad that he had helped, for he was not only a spy but an ambassador at heart, too; his heart was not all darkness and black. Like anyone's, his soul had ugly streaks painted upon it, but there was plenty of light in it too. He did genuinely like Malice, and particularly liked that his attempts to fix whatever was broken between packs. However, he wondered if it would last in the long run would Malice not fix things with Nemesis, too. "Nemesis does not seem to share Burke's newfound fondness, Cicero thinks," he shared. Perhaps Nemesis would be unamused by him telling Malice of it, but so be it. "Malice would do well to be wary of her." Cicero himself knew Malice better than Nemesis, it seemed, and though he trusted and respected Nemesis as Beta of Blackfeather Woods, he was not sure for the safety of those who crossed her outside of the pack.

Malice asked the inevitable — what had happened to him. Cicero was tired of making excuses and telling lies. "Cicero fought someone who needed as much relief as he did." That was what it seemed everything was about, always; relief. Cicero needed pain to feel alive, needed relief to stop the dark and ugly beast that wanted to pry its way out of his heart, clawing him apart shred by shred in the process. He did not want Sheogorath to ever return, but would he be able to keep the beast inside? He might, this way; the pain was just a positive side-effect, truthfully, to the relief that seemed to keep Sheogorath at bay, for now. But Cicero knew that the festering of the lies he told his family, how he had never told anyone the truth about the white wolf and what had happened then, would eventually tear him asunder. Yet for now, the shame for the event was greater than the boon of keeping Sheogorath at bay and he simply could not bring himself to share with anyone what had happened, for it ultimately meant he would need to share the beast that he carried inside, too.

Malice shook her head when Cicero mentioned Nemesis. She already knew that she had to be wary of her, even feared her a bit, but she wouldn't show it to anyone. If she even feared the beta of the dark pack, she was likely to seem weak. The wolves around her could never know about how frightened she was, except for Burke. She had acted so scared at their meeting, because she was genuinely frightened of him. He seemed to be more calm and sophisticated than Nemesis, but the aura he carried, the way he spoke all triggered the urge to flee for Malice. I only find her presence to be mildly annoying. Thanks for the warning though, I'll be sure to choose my words carefully around her. She said full confidence. Even seeming weak in front of the young boy, who she truly liked, was unthinkable. Perhaps he would even see right through her bluffs, though she had become one of the better liars in her former pack. Not that she liked lying though, not anymore.

their conversation went in the direction she was hoping for again, though the answer she got was a tricky one. She thought that one could only fight with someone when they were seeking revenge, a new land or all the other reasons wolves fought. About food, about just the smallest things, but never had she thought relief was one of them. She stared at him dumbfounded, actually hoping he would tell more about his fight with a wolf that needed relief, but unable to ask. She wondered that if the wounds were not treated, they would get infected, so now she had two things to worry about. This wolf he could do such things to a nice young boy, and the young boy himself. Do you have someone who can... Fix you? She asked, not knowing which term healers used for treating wounds.

The smile that tugged at Cicero's lips broadened as Malice admitted she found Nemesis to be no more than 'mildly annoying'. He adviced, "It is wolves one does not see as dangerous that are often the most so." One could easily turn their back to a wolf they did not fear. But while one kept a wary eye upon their presumed enemy that might never strike, the one they did not fear may yet drive a dagger into their back. It was up to Malice to take his words and do with them as she pleased, but he hoped that his warning would suffice, that it would betray enough. He would not flat out say Nemesis to be dangerous, but he knew it to be true even if he had never experienced it first hand. She was not as calculated as Burke, who looked for advantages for his pack rather than personal satisfaction (most of the time, anyway).

The subject soon shifted back to his wounds and Cicero shrugged it off easily. "Cicero will heal," he said. "Cicero knows the right herbs, has the right herbs once he is home." Not that he would likely use them; the wounds looked restful enough, without infection and scabbed over so he did not think forcing further healing upon them would be necessary.

AAAAH, I'm sorry, I just can't find the time to do the things that I want to do anymore with so many tests. I'm hoping my activity will increase as soon as summer vacation starts, yet it so long away.

Malice raised an eyebrow at the truly wise words the young male was speaking. She hadn't thought about it like that, so it was a good thing she was lying a bit in the first place. She definitely was scared of the other dark female, just not as much as Burke. Perhaps you are right. Dang it, yet another male of the Dark Brotherhood that was wiser than her. She hated to admit it, but this young, weird speaking, bi-colored eyed boy was making more sense than she had ever made in her whole life. Fine, I shall take your words of wisdom and keep my guard up around Nemesis.

The words spoken next surprised her even more. she had no idea that Cicero had knowledge of herbs. Would it be rude to ask for him to teach her a bit about it? Yes, yes it definitely would in her eyes. The boy had done enough for her already, and now she was just keeping him up while he was in pain. Well, I guess I should go home then. Or do you want me to bring you safely to the Blackfeather Woods? Despite him being wiser than her, she felt protective of the young fella. Besides, perhaps she would finally meet Nemesis again there. That would be like 2 birds with one stone.

no prob, now that i'm starting my new job soon i could use closing up some of my threads :-)

It did not matter to Cicero whether or not Malice would head his words of warning, but he wanted to have told her what he thought. Nemesis was a wildcard, as many Blackfeather Woods wolves were, and it would do any wolf good to keep her at an arm's length and to know what she could do.

Malice mentioned heading back home, and Cicero nodded as she did. "Cicero will be fine," he told her. He wasn't far off home, after all, and he would be able to rest once he reached it. With a nod of his head Cicero took off again, making his way home where he could finally rest in safety.