Blacktail Deer Plateau take your meds

For @Peregrine.

Fox stood, panting, at the edge of the plateau. She wasn't quite sure what drove her to travel to the far west of her domain, but here she was. The sun was just beginning to dip under the horizon, making for a rather lovely scene. All around her, she could hear the nightlife picking up. The sounds at night were so much different than the sounds of the daytime. You might even say they were as different as night and day.

But this wasn't the kind of thing that Fox wanted to just sit and observe alone. No, she knew she would enjoy this tenfold if a certain someone was here. So, without waiting a beat, she called out for her lover, husband, and whatever other titles they held together. Maybe some of his romantic tendencies really were rubbing off on her (if y'know what I mean).

Peregrine missed his children. Because of that — and likely due to the cooling temperatures, which signified the approaching breeding season to him — he couldn't stop thinking about the litter he and Fox hoped to bring into the world soon. He wondered just when his young wife would be ready. He hoped she would go into season soon. At the same time, he felt guilty about his eagerness, especially after what had happened with Junior.

He'd been walking briskly across the plateau but he stopped quite suddenly. They're six months old today. Six months ago, Hawkeye had given birth to Tytonidae and Osprey Jr. It seemed several lifetimes ago. Peregrine stood there a long time, reminiscing about that day and yearning to see of both his daughters to celebrate with them. He could try rounding up Ty and taking her to the coast to seek out Junior...

Fox's call cut right through that thought like a knife through warm butter. He began to trot again, heading in his mate's direction. Maybe she's ready now! he caught himself thinking. Peregrine shook his head, chagrined. In any event, as soon as he drew closer to her and caught her scent, he knew it wasn't the case. She smelled just like always: somehow like water and earth and fire all at once.

"Hello, foxy firecrotch," he greeted, admiring the way she looked in the fiery light of sunset. "You're on fire, babe." He stepped into the spot beside her and slid his swarthy muzzle beneath her velveteen throat, nuzzling her.

*sneaks in a work post*

Fox was also eager to start her their family, but she knew that there was little she could do in the meantime. Besides, there were other whispers in the back of her mind that had not dissipated since she had come to the plateau. She had thought, perhaps, that once she was an Alpha again, she would feel more settled. Instead, it only made her more restless. She didn't feel like the plateau was her home, no matter how hard she tried. The moon had gone through its cycle twice now, and her feelings on the matter had not changed as she thought they would.

This, of course, caused Fox to feel guilty. She was their leader, and all she could think of was taking them somewhere else. Perhaps not even all of them. Blue and Atticus would make a fine leading pair, or even Blue and Dante. Lasher could come with them, and Tytonidae (provided she didn't run off in the meantime like all the other children had). Perhaps it would even help to heal the discomfort between herself and her lover's lover.

"Hey," she replied, her tone insinuating that something was obviously off. Still, she returned his nuzzle with one of her own.

"What's up, foxy chick?" he asked, his spirits obviously high despite his conflicting thoughts en route. Being with Fox always had that effect on him. He had entirely missed the tone that indicated something was amiss with his young, hotblooded mate. "You really do look like you're on fire right now. I wish there was a way I could take a snapshot of this moment and hang it on our den wall for our children and grandchildren to see."

I just realized I have no idea if Fox ever told him about Bones. But she definitely told Atticus at some point. I guess she would have told Peregrine, too. :3

He didn't seem to take notice of her mellowed tone. Either that, or he was intentionally ignoring it. Peregrine complimented her, then made mention of their future children. The two of them desperately wanted children, she knew, but she was still uncertain that she wanted to start her family here on the plateau. Peregrine had shot down the idea last time she had proposed it... but things were different now. Junior, Saena, and Pura had left them. Hawkeye was gone, and Atticus was feeling better.

"Not to ruin the mood or anything... but are you still set on staying here, on the plateau?" she asked. "Even now it doesn't feel like home to me." Fox knew that the creek would not feel like home, even if she and Peregrine were somehow able to magically live there without conflict. "It feels like your home. I want something that is our home." She settled with that, giving him an expectant look as she waited for his reaction.

He still didn't cotton onto her distracted mood until she spoke, disregarding his fond remarks and launching directly into a question about their future on the plateau. Peregrine's lips parted, though he didn't interrupt her. He contemplated every one of Fox's words, turning them over in his mind. Even when she lapsed into silence, he didn't reply immediately.

Fox had now lived here for two months, so she'd given the plateau a fair chance. Peregrine's own situation had changed significantly in that time as well. Most importantly of all, there were no remains to leave behind now that Junior was alive (if voluntarily absent now). With the other pups also dispersing and his brother on the mend, there was little tying him here except his fealty and devotion to the land and its wolves. He'd built a whole life here.

At length, Peregrine said, "I guess I'm not as set as before. I love it here, though, and I wish you felt at home here. Is there nothing I can do? Is there no chance it will eventually feel like our home here...?" he questioned, dusky eyes searching her face.

As their gazes locked, he wondered what the members of the pack would think if they left. Although he wouldn't let it affect his adoration of her, he knew some of the members didn't get on well with his mate. Perhaps they would be relieved to see her run off into the sunset with him. The thought made his lips twitch.

Fox shrugged, feeling guilt seep over her as she did so. She wanted to love living here, but she didn't. She stayed because she was bound to Peregrine and nothing would cause her to leave his side. If there was one thing that could be said about the spitfire, it was that she was devoted to her lifelong partner. That in itself made her strive to make him happy in whatever way she could. And if that meant sticking to the plateau and living out their life here, she would do it. Even if she thought things could be better somewhere else.

"I don't know," she replied honestly. "I want it to feel like home, but I don't know how." Maybe she wasn't going about things the right way. If she could somehow figure out how to make it feel like theirs, rather than his, perhaps things would turn around. Perhaps more time was all that was needed, but Fox knew that she would not be able to move once the children were born (or even once she was with child). She felt defeated, in a way, though she could not blame Peregrine for that feeling.

Like her, Peregrine knew that if they did actually pursue a relocation, it would have to happen promptly. They would need time to locate a suitable territory, stake their claim, establish caches, et cetera. Just thinking about it filled him with anxiety, though it wasn't without its appeal too. A fresh start with Fox might actually be exciting, now that he gave it a second thought, though who would lead the plateau in their stead? Who would come with them and who would stay behind? He wanted them all to come but someone would have to remain here to hold down the fort.

Realizing his thoughts were running away from him, Peregrine cleared his throat and asked, "Speaking hypothetically, where would we go if we decided to make a fresh start? Are there any suitable territories close by? You know I don't get out much," he said with a small, dry laugh. "And I'm not sure what sort of landmark I'd want to claim. I didn't choose my birthplace and I didn't pick the plateau either. I came into them." Ignoring the opportunity for a dirty joke, he mused, "I do miss living close to water. I bet you do too."

Oi, I need to go for a run, but it's so comfy on the couch.

Fox brightened visibly when he spoke, even if it was just hypothetical. It meant he was considering it, at the very least. The question of where was soon presented, and Fox pondered on it for a moment. She did miss the neverending rush of the creek, and living next to some flowing body of water might make it feel more like home. Everything around these parts was so crowded, though. Granted, there was at least a little bit of space between each pack, but it wasn't a whole lot to work with. If the duo intended to move away, they would have to really move away.

“We could go looking,” Fox suggested. “Dante and Blue Willow can hold down the fort while we do some searching. We wouldn’t even have to be gone that long, and then we could make sure that we find something we both like.” The prospect felt more real now, and it would allow her to spend some long days with Peregrine at her side, nothing to distract them from one another. It would be like some kind of soul-searching quest where they could find out what they wanted together.

I'm lying in bed, snuggled up against a snoring Tyler and this new ultra plush blanket I bought at Costco yesterday. :3

His ears tipped backward at her suggestion, then flicked forward again as he pondered it. He really hated leaving the territory for any length of time, even though he knew it would be in good hands. Peregrine chewed on his lower lip. This could be the first step toward a permanent trip away from the plateau and that scared him. For nearly a year, it had been the epicenter of his universe. Going away to search for a possible new home suddenly made him feel peculiarly disoriented.

Still, he loved his mate and wanted her to be happy, so he would indulge her by at least looking. Perhaps the two of them would find something awesome out there. Yes, they would have to leave behind some loved ones but, aside from Fox — and Lasher, too, of course — nobody was intended to be a permanent fixture in Peregrine's life. They'd all come and gone in some way or another, even his siblings and his children. Only his mate and his lover were meant to stick to his side for better or worse, until death came calling.

"All right," Peregrine said, "give me a day to make arrangements for our absence. How long do you want to explore for? A few days? A week? That's the longest I'm comfortable being away," he told her, giving her a slightly sheepish look. "And what direction will we go?"

I fuckin' killed it. Granted, I'm just doing short runs right now, but that felt awesome. \o/

As she waited for his reply, she tried to determine how she would react in either outcome. Thankfully, she didn't have to play the what-if game too terribly long, because he hesitantly agreed. Her tail went into helicopter mode, expressing her true joy over his acceptance of her little outing together. “Just a few days, I promise!” she gleefully replied, giving him a copious amount of licks on his cheek.

“Let’s go north. Or east. Or south. Or west.” Fox was too jazzed about the whole thing to think clearly (not that she often did). “We’ll have to steer clear of the other packs, of course. Maybe we could see what the ocean has to offer? Or maybe a little bit inland. That would be like the best of both worlds, right?” Fox did not expect them to find their dream home on the first trip outside the plateau, but she was eager to start searching.

Good job!!

Her gleeful reaction disarmed him somewhat and, had she asked him just then, Peregrine would've agreed to move to the other end of the earth right this moment if it meant making her this happy. Luckily, she didn't ask that of him. All she wanted was a few days to go scouting. She didn't seem committed to any particular direction, which earned a chuckle from him.

"You take the lead," he told her, having no real opinion on the matter thus far. "Do you think we should take Lasher? Obviously, I'd want him to come with us if we left for good," Peregrine said.

Even as the words left his mouth, his lips began to purse. Would Lasher want to come with them if they ended up leaving? Lasher did almost anything Peregrine asked of him, yet the swarthy leader wasn't sure about this particular request, especially since there was some tension between his lovers. The possibility that he may not follow them made his insides ache. Was he about to be put in a position where he would have to choose between his wife and his lover?

Fox gave him another wolfish hug before withdrawing once he spoke of Lasher. It caused her to momentarily pause, wondering if her lover's lover would want to come along at all. He was none too pleased with her, and she didn't even know if Peregrine was aware of that fact. She certainly hadn't brought it up, and Perry seemed none the wiser, so she assumed that Lasher had either not been terribly concerned, or it had slipped his mind completely. Either that or he was just silently brooding about it behind their backs.

“Of course,” she replied, “We had a bit of a... falling-out awhile back, but perhaps he’d be willing to forgive and forget.” Fox knew that she certainly had. There was no reason to dwell on an argument that had basically been invalidated by Atticus returning to his senses. Fox was certainly quick to be angry, but she was just as often quick to let things go.

Peregrine only nodded at her words. He knew about it and had decided to let them work it out between themselves. He never wanted to be forced to take sides between those two. He loved them both dearly and the only time he ever hoped to stand between them was if they both decided to romance him at once (a thought which made him smirk inwardly).

"I know the two of you didn't see eye to eye when it came to his offer to Blue Willow. It's irrelevant now, which is a great thing for reasons that have nothing at all to do with the two of you." He smiled as he thought of his brother and the pack's beloved medic. "Maybe a little trip will be just the thing to bring the two of you — the three of us — together?" he queried hopefully.

Yet Peregrine had long since ceased to hope that Fox and Lasher would share a bond deeper than friendship, if that. He just wanted them to get along and respect one another if nothing else. As aforementioned, he couldn't think of anything more painful than being divided between the two or, worse yet, being forced to choose between them.

We can fade out here or keep on goin'. Up to you! I'm going to start make some explorin' threads. :)

“If he’s down with it, then so am I,” she replied with a slow wag of her tail. She meant it, too. One sour meeting surely couldn't be the end to all things, could it? And really, it was in their best interest to get along. Fox slid closer to Peregrine, feeling the warmth of his much larger body next to her own. It was pleasant in a way she could not describe with words, and yet she felt it flow through her and stir that same feeling she often got when she was around him. It was a mixture of happiness, contentedness, and the feeling of being protected by somebody who truly cared for her.

She let out a happy sigh, allowing her gaze to return to the sun which had almost made its way beneath the horizon. Briefly, she wondered where it went each night (and where the moon went each dawn), but those were questions left for the philosophers and thinkers of the world. And Fox was certainly not one of either variety. She pushed her head against her lover, snuggling into his shoulder as she sat beside him.