Sun Mote Copse It's your heart that you betray

@Penn >>

set just after fig/Phox return!

Fennec thought about turning around almost the instant she ran.  She couldn't, though.  It was too much to deal with right now and for some reason she needed air.  Badly.

She slowed down to a walk with her head hanging.  She was getting to where she knew there would be trees, so slowing was a necessity anyway.  All the while, her mind whirled.  They were back.  She was so unbelievably glad to see them alive and so unbelievably sure that things wouldn't just go back to the way they were before.  Towhee had forgiven her for being a coward and running.  Would Figment?  

She was too distracted right now to want to deal with the trees, so she plopped down next to one and started to comb through her fur with teeth and tongue.  If she calmed herself down, maybe it would all be fine.

Out of respect for Penn's privacy, we won't talk about why he was so exhausted and shake-y as he stumbled his way across the borders and into the territory, nor do we need to explain where the rabbit carcass came from. Suffice to say, he looked like he'd been hit by a train, and that's just what's up.

The young Blackthorn had every intention of heading straight to his preferred napping spot and passing out for a few hours with "his" kill still clutched in his mouth. He knew he ought to stuff the rabbit in a cache on his way, and maybe he would if he came across one, but he wasn't too concerned about that. He was too tired to be distracted by something stupid like properly storing his leftovers. He needed a fucking nap and that was all that mattered.

Or did it? It seemed that he was not too tired to be distracted by a flash of blonde as it darted through the trees. He paused, curious. Wasn't it dumb for a blind wolf to run around like that? Should he go tell her she's dumb? Was that worth postponing his nap? Penn teetered on the edge of his decision for a few moments before he grumbled and changed his trajectory to stalk off in the direction Fennec had gone.

He found her sitting at the base of a tree, cleaning herself. She seemed agitated, which was probably a sign that he ought to bounce. He didn't, though, instead dropping his kill at his feet as he plopped onto his haunches and looked at her. "You alright?" he asked with a frown. It was actually kind of nice of him. Usually he would phrase a question like that more along the lines of what's wrong with you? or why're you acting all twitchy? That he didn't was either a sign of his growing maturity or the knowledge that she could probably kick his ass given the state he was in.

Someone was coming.  At first, Fennec assumed that it was one of her family following to push a conversation.  At first she felt dread... and then a little longing.  She didn't want to be here, alone.  She wanted them to follow, wanted to get the hug she'd run away from.  She just hadn't known it until right this moment.

So when Penn spoke up, she was disappointed.  She paused in what she was doing, then took a breath.

Fine.  she said, softly.  Then a little louder, My brother's back.  And my dad.  Probably weird that she was here, right, and not with them?  Yeah, right.

Penn quirked a brow at her response. She didn't appear to be fine to him, though the fun fact she shared with him sounded like the kind of thing that might make someone fine. "Yeah, you look it," he quipped, letting her know that he wasn't falling for her lie before he paused to think more about what she'd said. He considered how he might feel if he learned that his brother was back. It made a little more sense then.

"You not a big fan of theirs or something?" he asked, his thoughts on Crow. He was still pissed that his brother had left and probably would still be pissed even if he came back. Maybe that's how Fenn felt about her family too.

His comment actually made her smile.  She definitely didn't, and she appreciated her calling her out on her bullshit.  Yeah, fair, she wasn't fine.

No, I'm glad they are back.  I just... I took off on them, and then they left, and it's kind of weird now.  She realized it sounded kind of stupid the instant she said it, but it was seriously impossible to put into words why she was freaking out so hard over this.  

It's like, Fig has been out doing things and going places and hanging out with people who aren't me, and maybe now he won't want to.  She wasn't sure why she was telling Penn something she wouldn't even tell Towhee.  Maybe because he was a fellow shit stirrer and she sense he had a bit of a code to him, same as her.  Somehow she felt he wouldn't tell anyone about it, and that made it easier to spill.  He also probably wasn't going to try and like, talk her through it or anything, which was cool too.

She was more forthcoming than he'd expected her to be. It was probably a good thing, but it meant he was probably supposed to listen to her. In his defense, he did try. But he got hung up almost immediately on the name Fig. What kind of stupid ass name was that? Was that her dad or her brother? Probably her brother, otherwise she'd have called him Dad. Unless she was a weird-y like Sugar Glider and called her parents by their first names. Still. Fig. What the hell did she care what a guy named Fig thought?

"And if he doesn't? You've been hanging out with people who aren't him," he reasoned, "If he doesn't want to hang, then he's a dick. You're one of us now--he's not, so screw him." Plus, his name was fucking stupid. Fig. Honestly.

Yeah, see, this was why she talked to him.  No "don't worry he won't" or "of course he still does".  It was a stupid thing to worry about because he was right.  She had friends here, and she could do things on her own now, and if he didn't want to be stuck to her anymore that was okay.  They'd been so close before, and the thought of them not now made a weird feeling in the pit of her stomach.  But she laughed.

Yeah, I guess.  Youre kind of a dick too, but I'll take it.  She flicked a bit of the snow around them at him, mostly wanting to break the mood but also because she wanted to do something to distract her from that awkward, bad lurch she'd just felt.

Penn was affronted that she would suggest he was a dick. He almost argued with her, but as he recalled just how he had come to claim the rabbit carcass at his paws, he thought better of it. Maybe he was kind of a dick. Unfortunately, that just made him grin.

In response to her sudden and totally uncalled for attack, he barked a quick, "Hey!" as he ducked away from the snow. Penn frowned at her, but there was a playful glint in his eyes. "I ain't the only kind of a dick," he quipped as he took a few creeping steps to her side, then jumped at her. He was tired still, and bruised from the other shenanigans he'd gotten up to recently, so his attack was much weaker than usual--just a nip at her shoulder. But he couldn't just let her get away with that disrespectful shit.

Fennec rolled sideways and let out a bit of a huff when her bruised side hit the tree, but she was still grinning and ignored that ache easily.  Kicking sideways, she flung more snow, then reached up to nip back at his ears or shoulder or whatever was next to his big mouth.

D'you have to have a dick to be one? Because if not I probably am too. she responded, then pushed back and hopped sideways.  A race or a snow fight - or a little of both? Suddenly sounded perfect.

She avoided the attack, which sparked more interest in the game than his weariness wanted to allow. Penn grinned through the snow she flung at him, ducking his head away to avoid it and simultaneously leaving her an opening to nip at his neck. He swung back to return the move, but she'd sidestepped away from him.

"Just so happens you're the dick I was thinkin' about when I said that," Penn said just as he swatted some snow back at her. Hoping she would duck away like he did, he rushed at her to try and grab her by the scruff.

She laughed.  Aww, you were thinkin about me, that's so sweet. She flung snow as she said it, in the direction of his voice, but doing so meant she missed the sound of his attack.  It hit her square in the face, and she instinctually recoiled.

Doing so opened her right up to his grab.  Hey!  She twisted as he caught hold, and tried to flip him off.  Then she lunged forward to break free completely, and hoped to incite a race in the process.  Instead, because the dice are mean, she smacked her head full on into a tree and dropped with a sharp yelp.  Ohhh holy shit that hurt.  God, she had meant to go right, hadn't she?

Penn rolled his eyes at her retort, but had nothing to say in his defense. He had been thinking of her, regardless of how she'd just made it sound. The young Blackthorn had yet to learn what it meant to have romantic feelings for someone vs. just feelings. Even if he had understood the distinction, he wouldn't have thought his regard of Fenn to be of the former. He simply wasn't that bright.

He felt his head jerked to the side as she attempted to spring from his grip. He dug his teeth in tighter, though took care not to actually harm her. Fenn broke free regardless, but before he could take chase, she was suddenly crashing and subsequently falling into a heap on the ground.

The Blackthorn paused, more out of surprise than concern. And then, he himself collapsed, in a heap of laughter though instead of pain. "Nice work, blindo!" he gasped in between his guffaws (which were not very attractive, I'll tell you what), "Didn't anyone tell you, there are a shit ton of trees round these parts?"

That hurt, and not just her pride.  She pressed her head into the ground as Penn laughed at her, gritting her teeth as her breath hissed out between them.  She couldn't retaliate until the burning settled down into a slow throb.

No shit, fish-breath.  But you try to memorize an entire forest.  Let me know how that goes.  She shot back, still nursing her aching head.  She lifted it slowly, but at this point, the game was somewhat broken.  She didn't want to risk a repeat, much fun as this had been.

Shit though, he was asking for it, wasn't he?

It shouldn't have taken him that long to recognize Fenn's pain, seeing how obvious it was. But actually, it's Penn--He picked up on it pretty quickly (for him). His expression switched from one of laughter to smiling concern as he trotted forward to inspect her.

"Hey, you alright?" he asked as he poked his nose against the side of her head, "You knocked yer lil' noggin' there pretty good, didncha. Here..." He looked around and spotted the rabbit he'd totally earned. He trotted over to snatch it up from where he'd left it and came back to her, giving it a brief shake to dislodge some of the snow that was matted in its pelt. He bopped her on the nose with it.

"Gotcha thish, fer yer troubles," Penn said through its fur. It seemed only right that Fenn have it--He had kinda stolen it from Starr's other character, after all.

Fortunately she couldn't see his concern, or she'd have had to pummel it off of his face.  She could hear it though, and it instantly made her heat defensively.  She huffed out a laugh.

Yeah, my head's almost as hard as yours, she joked, ignoring the remaining ache.  It'd be sore for a while yet, but at least it wasn't burning like initially.  But golly gee, what a gentleman!  she sniffed the rabbit, then grinned.  This means I owe you a favor, right? How about..... she turned and gave the side of his face, as best she could aim, a huge slobbery lick.  Then, cackling, she grabbed the rabbit and ran (a hell of a lot more carefully) for open ground.

Penn grinned through the rabbit clenched in his teeth, pleased by her praise. He was intrigued when she spoke of trading favors, but didn't have much time to consider what he might be able to get out of this when she attacked. He twisted his head away, his face contorting into disgust as he cried out an "Urgghh" that allowed her to snatch the rabbit away from his loosened jaws. He reached up to wipe at his face with his ankle, trying to clear away her grossness.

"Come on, man!" he whined, then growled a bit through a small grin as he watched her dart away, "This is exactly why I don't do nice things!" He stood and shook himself before springing after her, wanting to steal the rabbit back away since she apparently needed to learn how to show gratitude appropriately.

Her plan went off perfectly.  She continued to laugh, stifled by the rabbit, as she ran.  Fortunately no more tree misfortunes befell her, but if he wanted, Penn would have a fairly easy time catching up.  She wasn't able to run anywhere near full speed while finding her way.

Still, she couldn't make it completely easy.  So she kept careful ears back, and when he did catch her, he'd have to wrestle her for it!

we can wrap here and have another if you want!!!!