Porcupine Ridge you did not break me

Looking for @Terich-mir but AW. Set directly after this thread.

Her heart ached as her paws carried her swiftly away from the scene. Her previous reassurances of her place along the Ridge had vanished completely, and she realized that the only true reason she had not left yet was Terich-mir alone.
 
She had not seen him in some time. He seemingly kept to himself, and she had been so enraged by Taggarik’s previous betrayal that she had shunned all company form her side – now, when opening herself up once more, he had found a nail to drive in her heart, sealing it closed like a coffin.
 
Her nose to the ground, she sought out her best friend – seeking a distraction. Seeking the company of the only wolf she could ever trust.

Capriccio was right; Terich-mir had kept mostly to himself as of late. He ventured out with Diane sometimes, the one wolf he had found common ground with, but those forays were few and far between. In reality, Terich-mir felt he was being replaced by Taggarik in Capri's eyes, and had left her well enough alone these past weeks. It wasn't that he was angry with her; he was simply hurt. And rather than lash out, he kept to himself. It was something he wasn't used to, this feeling of being alone, and he didn't think it ever be easy.

That day he was roaming the pack's territory, searching for something to eat. The smell of a woman's heat tickled his nose, but he wasn't sure who was in heat. Not Capri, surely. His heart ached at the thought of truly losing her to another, when his eyes set upon her. Despite his feelings and inner turmoil, Terich smiled warmly as his friend approached, a look quickly replaced by a frown. Capri, what's wrong? He closed the gap between them and stood with ears forward, concern on his ever fiber, and waited.

She found him, and her pace quickened – but what was once a smile that he greeted her with swiftly turned to a frown, and without even having to say a word, she knew Terich-mir knew something was wrong. “I don’t want to talk about it,” she decided, her voice clipped in that moment before wavering as she exhaled sharply – trying to maintain her composure.
 
Instead, her muzzle pressed upward, burying itself in the familiar ruff of Terich-mir’s nape and inhaling his scent softly as she held back a sob. “Can you just.. Can you just hold me? For now?”

Tension hung thick about her like a shroud, and while Terich wanted to know what was wrong, he would not push her. Capri was a woman of her own, and in time she would share her burdens with him. That was the way of it, and the DeMonte was glad to be her friend. Instead of replying verbally to her question, he simply nodded, and brought her into his embrace. His tongue trailed gently along her crown, soothing away the worry lines there, while she simply leaned into him. There was not much more in this world that he wanted outside this tender embrace.

As he groomed her, Terich smelled that telltale sign of heat - but not any of Capri's. It was surely nearing her time, though he wasn't exactly sure when it would come. Sometimes heats could come twice a year, sometimes only once. He hoped she was not worried about it, though he was sure thoughts of being replaced or unseated did enter her mind. Terich wouldn't allow it, however, and would fight tooth and nail to protect her from any harm, intentional or not.

Terich asked no further questions, and the she-wolf practically crumpled in his embrace. Her steadfast friend – the only wolf she could ever truly trust, at the end of the day. Her slender form shook with the desire to release her emotions – a steady vibration as she withheld a sob, and instead, she buried her face in the warmth of her best friend’s fur, her eyes squeezing shut as she attempted to distract herself in another way.

Terich enveloped her in his embrace, placing his chin across her shoulders as he held her close. Terich's heart beat rapidly beneath his breast at their closeness, but there was no way in hell he'd ever reveal his true feelings. They were friends first and foremost; how would she react to his confession? Terich didn't want to find out, so kept his thoughts to himself, quietly nursing his own worries. After a moment, he pulled back, and kissed her forehead. Want to do something distracting? he asked softly, looking into her brilliant periwinkle eyes. He'd do anything for her, especially if it meant getting her mind off whatever was troubling her.

Terich held her – steadfast in all ways, and the only source of her trust. He did not question her further, respecting that she did not wish to talk about it. The imagery of Tagg gripping Vuk was still burning in her memory, and she could feel another quake of emotion as she attempted to suppress her sobs, quieting now as her form shook silently against Terich-mir.
 
He pulled her from her thoughts with a gentle kiss upon her forehead, and blinking, she glanced up at him, her ears cupping forward to his words. “Yes,” she spoke, without hesitation. As much as she desired nothing more than to remain in her best friends embrace and cry herself to sleep, it would do no one any good – it was best to move forward.

What would you like to do? Hunt? Terich pulled further from her, kissing her forehead one more time, before standing. His tail waved amicably behind his hips while he offered her suggestions. Spar? Run the hollow? If she wanted to hunt down rams, he'd do it for her, no matter or insane or stupid or dangerous it was. He'd do anything for her, and yet he couldn't bring himself to say the words he longed to reveal.

Terich-mir, in every which way that she adored him for, was quick to press options upon her, hoping only to engage her and allow her mind to drift from the emptiness she currently felt. Little did she know how often he did this --- and everything he usually did was for her and her alone.
 
“Running,” she responded almost immediately, hoping to feel the burn and pain of such a lengthy run to distract her from the image of Taggarik curling his forelimbs to Vuk, pulling her close against him. The blatant disobedience of her subordinate, and her complete inability to stop or do anything about it.
 
With Terich-mir, at least, she did not feel like a failure.
 
Without waiting for his answer, the dark she-wolf cast her companion a look with her frosted eyes, grateful for him, before she leapt off, her slender form bounding across the Ridge, quietly beckoning her friend to join her. For now, she would distract herself, until she knew how to handle the situation, and only after, when the two wolves were exhausted, would she curl up with Terich-mir once more and tell him what had happened.

Terich laughed as she bounded off, and followed quickly upon her heels. There was little these two did not share with each other, and as they ran, Terich's heart lightened as well. They spent the afternoon running, chasing each other through hills and hollows, bounding through willow branches and scaring rabbits and wrens alike. When their bodies were worn from the day, they finally settled, and she told him of her pain. Then he simply held her again, as a best friend might, and kissed her cheek as they fell into an exhausted sleep.