The Heartwood All your life

Dreven had pulled the hide from the pronghorn, buried the meat in caches. Except the choice pieces he had kept for Heph, and though he hadn't told @Heph. He had started a cache in the forest that @Atka Tsimshian loved so much. He was thinking hard now, and she liked that forest best. if he could get them out of this damn mess, and be sure that he wouldn't be the only one protecting her. He was not adverse to moving.

But he felt like a dick for possibly making Heph stay put, when all she wanted to do was travel, but he just couldn't do it on his own. Today brown blunt body moved through the heartwood. He had set up the pronghorn Skin, to dry in the sun. He had allowed it to wash upon teh river, let the fish have a meal, and it had been heavy as hell. And his fur was still sopping in places from carrying it wet and soaking here and now.

he had tried to find the softest, most less ashy place he could to let it stir and soothe. He thought about it and realized that perhaps, they could make a den in the hollow. And still patrol. They weren't that far apart, which was also part of the problem. He grumbled and shook the water free, finally laying out straight.

Long brown body, dips and valleys highlighted by the dapples in the trees. As he stretched out and further still until he was stretched out like a buffet meal on a glass table and he closed his eyes to enjoy the sun just a little bit.

Both can come, or neither can come. Just throwing this up for whomever wants a piece :D

Heph had not been quite patrolling, but she had been letting herself wander in the wake of caching the leg of the pronghorn that she had helped hunt and had kept to the fringes of the territory. She let her legs stretch through the coolness of the autumn air and the warmth of its sun as she noted the surroundings. It was surprising to her the way the time passed, she had already stayed longer than anticipated and yet even with only a scant while left until winter she found the time both all too long and all too short. She wondered if they had managed to prepare enough for Dreven to declare that they would stay, whoever they were at this point.

She debated the merits of seeking out Dreven once more to impart the information that she had gleaned from Shey, but she was not sure how reliable it was having passed through many mouths since its source and she would feel better about it if she was able to confirm for herself how true they were likely to be. Nevertheless, she was not seeking him out when she came upon him stretched out in the sun. A short dry laugh escaped her lips as she came upon the fringes of the clearing. "Ahh spread out like this - should I leave you and go find Atka?" She could certainly see what her friend saw in the wolf physically and she had found his company better than she had expected even if that and Atka's charms were not enough to make her stay for much longer.

Dreven was enjoying his moment of respite. He was pleased that Heph had continued to stick around. It kept Atka in a good mood, and he could certainly begin to see some of the merits to the dark she wolf. And she wasn't ugly by any means. It was still at the back of Dreven's mind to move. Khasni had gone into seclusion again. And he wasn't sure what the little she wolf was thinking. Honestly, he should just wipe his paws of both her and Alduin, but teh small part of him that was a slave still fought the chains, both figuratively and physically.

He smelled her unique scent before he saw her, but her voice reached his tattered ears next. One red eye cracked open and he tilted his head, with a smirk.

Already tired her out. She's sleeping

He motioned towards he pronghorn skin. Our spoils. Think it would make a nice addition to any den, yea?

Long yawn split his maw in two, but he didn't move, preferring to lay just how he was. Though as always he preened under keen eyes.

Tell me Heph, what makes you love roving so much?

I made the assumption that he would seek out Atka often, even behind the scenes. @Atka Tsimshian if you want me to change that I can.

no worries!

Atka stirring from her slumber, it was a cool evening. Unable to return to her rest she got up with a grumble and stretched, wondering where Dreven had gone from her side. She shook her coat free of the ash and set off to follow behind their lingering scents.

❝My two favorites.❞ Her voice had a slight rasp to it from her recent sleep as she came into their space, oblivious to what their conversation was of.

Her eyes were droopy and she slowly blinked as she went to curl up beside Dreven, it had been getting colder and she was tired. She gazed up at Heph from the ground, her head resting on her paws.

The pronghorn skin lay out and she considered the care he had taken with it, those attentions had yielded something that would be a soft and warm addition to a den indeed. "A kingly gift." Heph tipped her head into a nod. Perhaps for Atka or Khasni she thought though she had not had much of a chance to spy the silver-eyed wolf that had seemed so outspoken upon their first meeting. She considered his question with the afterthoughts of a chuckle from Dreven's earlier jest. She found she enjoyed his sense of humor though it sometimes was slightly different from her own, but nonetheless there was a certain way that it still fit. "The world is constantly changing, the seasons, the weather, the wind, the company." Her voice was a bit breathless, toeing the line between laughter and wonder but there was honesty there and no hint of guile in her earnest features as she kept her eyes on his shoulder not challenging him with a stare. "I like to change and move with it." There was a rueful almost apologetic smile to her face although resolve set itself into her shoulders and there was no termor in her tone to belie any hesitation in her decision.

Atka arrived and she gave her a warm smile and after the white she-wolf settled next to Dreven Heph found her own spot to lie down a short distance. The chill would drive her to either movement or some other but she was content to share Dreven's idle company if Atka was there. "mmm are there any more I should be aware of? I'll be sure to be on my best behavior." She spoke teasingly, light and playfully. While she did not think Atka had made many new friends in between hunting and caring for the future of the pack she was certainly charming enough for it and besides it felt good to tease.

Dreven was incredibly proud of the pronghorn skin. And were Heph to stay upon them, she would get one too, but she was not content to stay with them. Though he supposed once they figured out where they were going and what they were doing. They could set up a permanent spot for her. He would not allow many others such leeway with his borders, but for Atka he would allow Heph.

Fit for a queen if you ask me.

His eyes glittered at her words, and he tilted his nose downward. This is true. That is one constant. It never stays the same.

A shift in his body as Atka moved to lay next him. A gentle tug to pull her nearer and then he was watching Heph. He motioned his other side or Atka's side.

You can come nearer if you get cold. I Only bite when asked. Unless you invade my home.

A smile full of absolute sin lit up his face at Atka's proclamation.

You are a wolf that knows herself. That is good.

Dreven's ears moved forward at Heph's jest and a low chuckle rose from his chest.

Atka released a hum of satisfaction as she was pulled closer, still confused of what they were speaking but she let out a light chuckle at Heph's banter.

❝Oh yeah, loads.❞ She responded with a smirk as she closed her eyes.

It was clear she was joking, the porcelain wolf hardly spoke to others outside of the two. Her dear lover and her friend had eased the loneliness that came with her departure of her family. For once, Atka felt sure of the future, the looming idea of the return of Aludin began to fade.

Heph gave a short laugh, more a huff of air into the coolness but did shuffle over the rest closer to the pair on Atka's side. "Mmm but home is where the heart is." She responded softly, not out of fear but more to assauge the laziness rising in her at being off her paws for so long. Perhaps that was the real reason she wandered so that she did not spend all day sleeping. Her maw stretched open in a quiet yawn though she was not tired only idle.

She matched Atka's laugh and added, throwing out into the air in a drawl that lacked the sharp point of sarcasm though hints of irony wedged their way into her speech. "I'll be on the lookout then, maybe help Dreven chase off any suitors." Her eyelid closed down into a slow wink as her head rested on her paws.

Last post from me Thank you for the thread <3

Laying there. Dreven would watch as the two she wolves began to slow their breathing and possibly fall asleep. He would keep watch while they slept. And simply enjoy the silence. There was something to be said of a quiet forest. It was eerie to some, peaceful to others.

Dreven happened to be in the latter category.

last from me! thank you as well :)

Atka exhaled something akin to a laugh, a smirk on her face at Heph's response. This was epitome of comfort for her, she really was beside the company she preferred compared to others. Drifting off to sleep was not a struggle, the cold seeming foreign in their warmth.

Heph allowed herself to drift off to sleep. She supposed it was a rather pleasant end if someone did decide to sneak up on her although she somewhat doubted that they would be so willing to make their way upon three figures all laying out in the afternoon sun. It felt warm and when she woke she would get up and shake out her pelt to the crisp air but at the moment it felt rather nice.