Hoshor Plains Roadtrips

dated before minnow leaves.

She was to leave with her brother and new pack soon and the female knew she had to find her new acquaintance or possibly new friend and tell him where she was to go. She didn’t want to just disappear without doing so. She couldn’t explain it right now but she was growing fond of @Sumac and was happy to have made a friend and met her aunt and she didn’t want to lose that. 

So she was determined as she put her nose to the floor and took in all the scents around her hoping one would stick out and lead the way.

Sumac stood over a precipice that provided a beautiful view not only of the main camp, but also the Flatlands themselves. Below him, the bustle was dying down: temporary habitations being dismantled, families moving off back to their homelands. There was something simultaneously relieving and mournful about watching those activities, and 'Mac was surprised to find himself feeling a bit lonely as he watched the main campsite empty of occupants. The hunts were over. Time to return to life-as-usual.

But he didn't know what that meant for him. He knew he'd follow Easy, of course - he'd promised to help her find Arjun, and besides that, he'd grown quite fond of her. She seemed to have easily stepped into the space left painfully empty by his mother and sisters. He was beginning to understand what friendship was, and why it was such a treasure.

Speaking of friendships... Another pull of sorrow plucked at his heartstrings. Where was Minnow? Surely, she hadn't left already - not without saying goodbye! Adrenaline coursed through him, a stroke of panic, at the thought. He'd grown very fond of her, especially after sharing such a successful hunt with her. He hoped he'd given her a good impression, and that they could develop their bond further. Maybe she'd leave with him and Easy? The thought of that sent his heart aquiver with excitement. The pang of loneliness he felt earlier fled, replaced instead with a newfound eagerness for the future.

The subtle sound of soft footfalls broke his reverie, and he turned his head to look over his shoulder. As if he'd willed her into existence, there she was - the sprightly lass who smiled shyly and laughed with her golden eyes.

"Minnow!"

She searched through the plains to hopefully find her friend and his scent hit her nose and she looked up to see him in the distance and it seemed he had seen here too as he called out her name. 

The woman’s tail swayed back in forth as she walked over to her new friend happy that’s she was able to find him. “Hi! I’m so happy I found you.” She said happily with a smile. She really didn’t want to leave without letting him know where they were going although she was sure valiant had told their aunt. 

“How are you, I know it’s been a while since we’ve seen each other I just got caught up with my brother. I got accepted into his pack” 

Oh my gosh stop rambling she thought to herself

Sumac's own golden-tipped tail danced joyful patterns as Minnow ascended the rise to join him. What luck! His heart felt as though it was a young buck careening through the freshly newborn spring forest, full of vitality and wild. 

"And I'm so happy to see you!" he called back, closing the distance to her with jaunty steps.

He gave a good-natured chuckle, his amber-gold eyes sparkling with humor, "I'm good. You? Are you well?"

It was her next statement that hit him like a derecho, unexpectedly knocking the wind from his lungs.

I just got caught up with my brother. I got accepted into his pack.

While 'Mac would normally have been thrilled to hear that Minnow had reunited with her sibling, it was overshadowed by her acceptance into a pack. That meant commitment, and her inevitable separation from Sumac. He couldn't go with her. While his heart ached at that fact, he had made his own commitments to Easy, and besides, leaving her wasn't an option. It seemed he had no good choices here - his heart was to break one way or another.

"Oh... I'm so glad you found your brother again. It's great to reunite with family," he forced himself to speak, though his prior enthusiasm had diminished greatly. I wish I could reunite with mine, he thought glumly, "So... I guess you'll be leaving, then? To go to your new pack lands?"

'Mac's head and tail had lowered.

He was happy to see her and that made the woman smile as well as happy. It was nice to know that the feeling was reciprocated. He asked her a question and she nodded. “Yes I’m doing great it’s nice to be around my brother once more.” She thought back to Aeryn as she spoke but she put that in the back of her mind for now. 

When she mentioned the pack, she sense that the mood in the atmosphere had changed and she was a bit sad cause she knew they would have to part. “Yes that is the plan but I don’t want to lose contact. Do you plan on staying with my aunt?” She hoped he’d say yes cause she knew if that was the case there would be hope of seeing him again.

Sumac forced an optimistic thought into his mind: if he stayed with Easy, Minnow's aunt, then that meant they had a chance of encountering each other again, right? He lifted his head a bit, allowing his tail to swish softly behind him.

"I don't want to lose contact with you, either, Minnow. Yeah, I promised Easy I'd help her find Arjun," he replied with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, "After that, I don't know. We'll probably stick together."

He tried to rally himself, knowing in his bones that this was just "see you later" and not "goodbye." However, it was apparent he found parting from others difficult. He'd never really had to part with anyone before until his family's demise. Now, it seemed he was hypersensitive to departures from his life, and it left him feeling a hollow ache in his chest.

"I hope we'll see each other again real soon, Minnow. Just promise me you'll take good care, yeah? And if you ever need me, I'll be out there, waiting. Just call," he said in firmer tones, craning his neck and tilting it to one side as if to plead, "Promise?"

She learned of their mission and totally understood needing to find family and she wished her aunt luck in finding them.  “Then we’ll definitely see each other again.” She was sure of it or at least hoped so. The woman still suffered from her mild abandonment issues but she held back from thinking that way.

She was happy to know the feeling was mutual and she smiled. “ I promise.” She said gently. “We’ll see each other again I’m sure of it. “ She felt a little sad that she wouldn’t be seeing her new friend for a while but most times life seems to work out for her so she had to hope it will continue.

'Mac nodded, satisfied. There was still a somber shadow in his eyes, but he maintained his smile, hopeful that she'd be safe and happy with her new family. Something told him she desperately needed that. Perhaps he did too, but he had a funny feeling he'd find his place elsewhere.

He stood back, burning the image of her into his mind, pulling her scent into his memory, and willing his ears to remember her sweet voice. Then he lowered his front half a bit - a sort of bow - before standing upright again.

"Well, I guess this is 'until next time,' then. I hope your new pack treats you like a queen - you deserve it!" he stated, before suddenly dashing forward to try to plant a quick, affectionate lick on her cheek. 

Sumac then abruptly turned to hasten his way down the overlook before emotion - and overthinking - overwhelmed him.

She didn’t want to say goodbye but she knew that she would have to and maybe if she would have met them first before her brother, she would have stuck with her aunt but fate has a way of doing it’s own thing and she had to trust that it would let them cross paths again. “Definitely till next time. We’ll see each other again I promise.” She gave a soft smile as he moved forward and saw what he was trying to do and allowed it. 

if wolves could blush she definitely would have. She gave him a loving nudge. “ I’ll definitely miss you guys.” She was never good at letting people go but she had to learn

Sumac looked over his shoulder, and he couldn’t hide the sorrow in his smile. It was a bittersweet smile, one that was genuine and laid bare his feelings.

“Ok - I’m holding you to that,” he said, and this time, the smile did reach his eyes. “We’ll miss you too. Please, be safe, Minnow. You’re important to us.”

With that, he turned and reluctantly made his way down the overlook, giving her once last long look.

Fade

She gave a soft nod. “You too. Please.” She didn’t want to lose anyone else even though she knew it was inevitable and her heart ached as she watched him walk away and she knew she had to hold onto the hope that they would meet again and with that the female turned around herself and went to meet back with her brother.

Thanks for the thread! Always a pleasure I’m gonna close this now :)