Silvertip Mountain One day it will be all better.

@FitzDutiful Short & not too demanding thread perhaps? :D Let me know if you want me to change the PP, though I felt like Fitz would do that for her.

Zaria wondered how it could even happen that she was so dehydrated that she felt so weak as she did. The female felt much better after a meal caught by her mate. Her shoulder wasn't too good yet and as much as she hated she would be injured longer if she wasn't giving her body any rest. The claws had been super sharp. They opened her up like she was some soft block of butter.

Zaria liked their new home. Fitz was right for the move, it didn't came so unfortunate to her that she had to climb so much with her hurting neck and shoulder but she would be okay. She didn't have any infections and hopefully it wouldn't scar too badly. Hopefully it wouldn't scar at all. The slender female snuggled against Fitz, she felt more attached to the male each week. It was a rather weird feeling for her to become attached to someone. She had the same with Mason. She hated how the family was a bit shattered after they announced their mateship.

FitzDutiful wasn't quite sure where things stood with Mason - they had talked finally but he wasn't about to say that was it. He wasn't quite so naive as he had once been to assume things were that easily sorted; which ever way it went.

Now, his attention turned back to the other wolf important in his life. Zaria, she had been injured defending Mason; something that wasn't lost on him though he struggled with guilt. He should have been the one to attack first and the one to get the wounds. Then again, he wasn't a warrior and she was. He had chosen warden instead for a reason.

The feeling of Zaria snuggling close, brought him out of his daze and turned his attention to life. "How are you doing my love?" he asked, hoping his mediocre first aid skills were helping somewhat.

Zaria rested her head against Fitz, knowing that she kinda woke him up. She pushed her nose closer to his and gave him a lick over his cheek. She wasn't sure what she was feeling. She didn't want to complain too much about her life. She was rather happy with her life right now. "It hurts. Really now it is drying, and closing. Movement opens it and hurts," she admitted and glanced at him for a moment. She kept her head resting against him.

"I don't like that Mason is mad," she then admitted. "My wound will heal but I am worried his wound will not," she whispered. She looked at Fitz for her reaction. Zaria was starting to get worried. She wasn't sure if he talked to his father already. "I didn't know about it. Didn't hurt him on purpose." It seemed Mason had the same habit as his father to choose the wrong female.

FitzDutiful nodded when Zaria explained her wound. It was pretty much as he had expected - it had to go through all the different stages of healing before it would be okay again. He was worried she would be scarred and fear that he wouldn't like her any more; not that she had to worry, but he had chosen to make no mention of it. Zaria was different from Raissa - she didn't seek reassurance constantly. FitzDutiful wondered if he should compare, even if Zaria came out favourably, but how could you not compare current situation to those that have passed?

The conversation turned to Mason and FitzDutiful sighed, "I think he'll be okay. I talked to him, not too long ago." he didn't really know what else to say right there and then. "I didn't realise he felt such feelings for you." He had had a moment of feeling scared that she would choose Mason if she knew, before dismissing them as being a stupid fear. She had chosen him and that was something to remember - always.

Zaria leaned against Fitz and inhaled his scent softly. That was where she got her reassurance from. The female realized really soon in life that a lot of wolves just talked, often lied even. Especially in her previous culture. She didn't ask for reassurance through words but into the little details. With Fitz that was just smelling his scent and knowing that he was close to her. That was more than enough for the female.

Zaria nodded softly. "Good," she returned. She then let out a soft sigh. "I did not know either. Of course I knew he liked me which is why I thought he had the least trouble accepting that I would be your mate," she explained to Fitz. She then licked over his cheek. She realized that there were some definite bonuses in having a mate. Zaria was becoming more affectionate. Though only in private settings. Hopefully that would make Fitz realize that Zaria was here to stay.

FitzDutiful lay there, accepting her lick and pondering on the recent changes. He was scared of losing Mason for good but then the thought had never occurred to him that Mason would want to leave. It just didn't make any sense at all, he wanted his family all here together. All of them and all the future generations - even if that wouldn't work out. "I had thoughts of seeing Mason as beta when he was old enough, if he managed to work his way through the ranks. And now I'm worried of him leaving." He didn't even think about what would happen if they had other pups. Would Mason accept them, reject them, kill them? Did he have his mother's temperament and that was causing this strife?

He had no answers, save a long sigh.

Zaria watched as her mate worried. She nipped him to make him snap out of it. It was just natural for her to give a 'correction' that way. She didn't really intent it as a correction more as a way to make him realize that he was over thinking this. "I could see him as the Beta too," she returned. Zaria pushed herself up in a bit of a sitting position.

"Would it be so bad if he left? I know that you want him happy so if leaving makes him happy you should let him go. If he wants to stay then he will have to accept us. Just because he might leave doesn't mean he will break all contact. He loves you too much for that. I know so," she pointed out. Because she said some horrible things to her father too and now she calmed down and settled she realized that she behaved horribly but now he was dead. Zaria nudged him. "Cheer up," she spoke with a bit of a grin. Her green eyes looking surprisingly playful.

He felt Zaria's nip and, as always, it shocked him out of his immediate pit of despair. FitzDutiful smiled thankfully at the love of his life, he didn't know how he had coped before her or how he would after - if that ever came to be. "It depends why he leaves." FitzDutiful told her, trying to explain in a way that even he could make sense of. "If it was his choice because he wanted to see more or to start his own pack then I would be so proud. But to get away from us... I fear that only leads to resentment and hatred. I haven't even told him that we might have puppies; I assume he knows but I don't think he would hear that well."

This conversation was way too severe and so he attempted to lighten it a little, "My love, my Zaria - I hope you don't make all the Silvertip males feel this way so I couldn't bear to fight with my brother over you too" FitzDutiful aimed a lick at Zaria's muzzle, wanting to cosy up to her and just be in the here and now instead of in the scary, foggy future that cast its dark light over them all.

Zaria knew that Fitz wasn't going to take her correction as an insult. It was just that sweeter side of him that she was growing to like more and more. In the beginning she thought he was rather soft, but even though he might was like that in the beginning Zaria liked to think they made both their weaker sides stronger. Fitz did seem awfully keen on having children. Zaria had no clue in how to be a mother, she never had a mother. That was something that would worry her. Children were never her forte but that was something to tackle later. "Mason isn't leaving yet, and I haven't had my nice smell. So all will be alright. I must admit that if I would have my nice smell now it might do more damage than good. But I don't have it yet, and with this ... winter you talked about ... coming I don't think I want babies in this cold."

Zaria still wasn't a fan of cold and wet. She still had to experience snow for the first time. She never went all the way to the top of the mountain or to the glacier. Winter would come as a surprise for the wolf that was used to warm winters. Her green eyes looked at him as a smug grin played on her lips. She was a very proud female. The idea that another male also wanted her made her feel very desirable. Not that she would ever act on it. "He can like me all he wants. You don't have to fight over me. I am loyal to you, and no one can take away that loyalty with 'liking me'. I know you love me for me. You were there one that encouraged me to be me, and let me be me even with my poisons and all other traits that others might find undesirable. You are the one that knows me, the others don't. They like the outer layer that is me not the inside, they don't know the inside. You know all me," she spoke with a smile and returned a kiss to him. Hopefully those words would make him feel better. She nosed through his fur, it was all soft and fuzzy. That was the only good thing about this cold and rain... Fitz growing fur.

Zaria's words soothed him, calmed him and he smiled - the smile lighting up his entire face and removing the shadows that had clouded it. "Indeed," he said, pleased. He had forgotten the cardinal rule about relationships - yes, he had chosen her but she had also chosen him. It wasn't fair to either of them to doubt that, but he was pretty sure this would be the last conversation they had that involved jealousy. It wasn't really him anyway.

Zaria nosed into his fur and FitzDutiful's breathing became slow and steady once again as sleep overtook him and claimed him for the rest of the night.

Zaria smiled once Fitz was all soothed. She wasn't offended, she knew how sly and cunning she was before all of this. But she truly cared about Fitz, the only wolf she did. She would protect Mason and June too but it wasn't the same love she felt for Fitz. As he rested his head Zaria pillowed her own head on his back. She was all warm because of Fitz.

Zaria realized she might not even survived without Fitz warmth at night. Her coat was still on the thin side, she wished daily she had a thick coat like him.

-end-