Swiftcurrent Creek & found I could breath all along

hoping for @Kavik

there was no ignoring the loss that Rosalie's family had felt, nor could the absence of two of the older pups be easily missed. throughout it all, she'd remained distant. albeit, it was not of her own doing, but the heavy toll that childbirth took on her, leaving her in a fog she'd only started to escape a few weeks prior. 

many more weeks had passed since the disappearance of the two pups, and the situation felt almost familiar. it was this reason she sought out @Kavik, following the freshest scent trail she could find and hoping to find him at the end of it.

He'd spent the entire morning searching for his missing son and daughter, like every other morning before, and like all those other times of painful searching, he had found nothing. It was becoming harder to find his way out of the utter hopelessness that engulfed him every morning when he woke from the one or two hours of sleep he managed to get. But, each day, without fail, he pulled himself out of his darkness and searched once more for his missing children.

He was patrolling now that he had returned, trying to distract himself from yet another unsuccessful search. Dawn's scent carried with the breeze and filled his nostrils. He turned to see her coming up behind him, and he paused, dipping his head in greeting as she neared. Dawn. How are you? he knew she had her hands full with her own pups, and he hoped life had been treating her well.

she found him soon enough, and drew to a halt after he turned back to greet her, tail swishingly lowly in greeting. "Kavik," she echoed, answering, "they're healthy. growing quickly, too." she allowed herself a small smile at this, though her original purpose here had her linger only shortly on the topic of her own pups. "and yourself?"

her expression grows solemn, and after a moment she admits quietly, "I know what it is to lose loved ones. In my time leading Morningside, I lost much of my family." she doesn't know if she's brought any of this up with him before - she doubts it, for she rarely mentions Morningside save for in the stories she tells her own pups, and her losses are not something she would normally admit unasked. but she remembers the unimaginable weight, the helplessness she felt torn in both directions, between her family and duty to her pack. In the very end, she'd chosen the former, and the latter had fallen. it is something she does not want to see repeated. "know that I am here, to help with the caches, the borders, or whatever you need." she knows what it is to feel unimaginable loss and lead, and while she did not navigate the situation unfailingly, she learned.

Good, I'm glad, he replied. It was nice to hear that at least some of his packmates weren't having such a hard time. He was quiet for a few moments following her question, unsure quite how to answer. The truth was that he was terrible; he wasn't sleeping or eating much, too worried about his family and more concerned with keeping the pack safe while searching for his missing children. He refrained from expressing all of that though, instead offering a shrug of his shoulders and answering: Okay, I guess...trying to stay busy. 

When she spoke again, it was to tell him of a time when she was in a similar position to his. She offered her support and help, and he was immensely grateful. It was nice to know that others were around to help when everything was so messed up. I am sorry about your family, he said first. Of course, she knew he would understand how she felt. And I really appreciate your help. Having her own pups to care for, he knew it was a lot to add to her plate, which meant he appreciated her even more.