Swiftcurrent Creek i'm not much a poet but a criminal

aw. tag for reference or to join.

Harrowed and restless, Akavir had hunted through the night. His findings lay at the bank of the creek as he bathed—the glint of morning light just coming to the horizon. The blood washed from him—but it was truly the tension that he wished to shed most.

The cloying scent drifted in the air—such a familiar and promising thing—and with an influx of some new members, the ebony wolf could not quite place who it was.

He didn’t intend to find out, either.

Emerging from the banks roughly, he gave a shake of his pelt—the water droplets spraying nearby, including the caught hare from before. As the sun poked further from its bed in morning greeting, the Alpha withheld a yawn—his jaws snapping down to grasp the rabbit and begin his trek to the den—to the little mouths he had to feed, who, for once, he had left with @Arric.

Arric felt bleak and tired lately. They had more pups and pregnant she wolves than capable hunters. Frankly he was worried. He'd fell what he could, but they were unable to bring any for caches. Too many mouths and not enough wolves to hunt extra.

He watches as the tiny black whisps ran around him waiting on their dad. Honestly they were adorable. 

He lifted blue eyed gaze to his friend. Hey shithead. he called out

When he rounded the foliage, Arric saw him—his greeting about as cheery as the mans outward countenance. Hint: it didn’t match the sunshine that began to graze their land.

Dropping the rabbit closer to the den entrance, he peeked past the hulking Beta—a trio of pups, asleep—thankfully. It wouldn’t be for long. Soon, it would be a whirlwind of activity and exhaustion.

“You say the sweetest things,” he offered back, his tone hushed before he settled back on his haunches.

Then: “Let’s play a game.”

Cameo!

Mae was sleeping, yes, but barely. She was just awake enough to catch the words spoken outside of the den. Namely, one she'd never heard; one that Akavir seemed to like very much! She yawned and got to her feet slowly, poking her head out the den to look at the pair for a moment.

Shithead? She mumbled, looking at Akavir. Then she yawned again and turned back to her brothers and her nap.

The rabbit landed with a thump and he nodded.

The beta grinned and dipped his head. Aww honey i aim to please.

Though at the small pups exclamation he laughed outloud. Shit. Sorry Akavir.

Then he tilted his head. Alright but like am i gonna have to be prepared for some shady shit in this game or?

wellll.... going to have to assume this is now before the germanicus trial?

And then a tiny voice—‘Shithead?’ could be heard… followed by another gentle snore. If Akavir could slow clap, he would. “Nice job,” he commented to his friend, the amusement tugging at the corner of his lips.

That one was definitely going to come back to haunt him.

For now, though, his eyes sobered—despite Arric’s humor that laced the air. “The game is this… if everything in your life is on fire… what do you put out first?”

He paused—Arric would know what he spoke of. Missing mothers… dwindling numbers. A rampant witch… meetings to attend. Favors to be repayed.

“Bonus points for creativity.”

i know right lmao what a day in the rp universe

Arric stood and gave a small bow laughter thick in his throat. But he quickly sobered at his friends next words.

Arric shifted. my family and pack mates. Cause life isn't worth living without them right. Then I'd try and shore up so it didnt happen again and once that was done find a witch and chew her face off.

A simple answer—and Akavir gave the man a rather perplexed look.

“But what does that look like?”

Did that mean he stay here, instead of hunting the witch? Did it mean they try to recruit? Focus on the positivity they could claim?

“The witch is believed to be heading to the ocean. That’s a distance from here.”

What if she got away?

Arric lifted his head. And met his friends gaze.

Here's where were at yea. The witch is gone. So is Reverie, Lestan and Blossom. As hard as it is to swallow they are no longer our responsibility. Nor is anything to do with them.

Arric shifted blue eyes bright as he continued. we have one maybe two pregnant females. Only ones can hunt right now. You and me. Three little ones that need us and a wounded warrior who also needs us. As heavy as it is to admit. The witch isnt our problem right now. She gets away unfortunately its how it works. We don't have the wolf power or the time to chase her to the ocean. We need to build caches now so when winter arrives we dont starve and fresze our asses off.

Arric had written Lestan and Reverie off—in ways, he did too. But still, a frown pressed to his features, casting his friend a questioning look. He didn’t believe Arric felt that way—not about Reverie. The two had been close friends, even if Akavir hadn’t truly understood it. And Lestan, well, they shared blood… “That’s nice in theory… but they don’t know that the witch isn’t being held captive any longer,” he reminded the man—but it was the words he didn’t say that gnawed at him. Unless they now did know, because she had found them…

“Sometimes I wonder the point of it all,” he muttered, feeling the exhaustion pull him down to the ground, his fur still damp from the creek.

Arric lifted a wolfish brow. He really wanted to shake his melancholy friend, because he wasn't thinking. Still worried for two  and a half wolves they had no idea where they were.

And do you know where they are, cause I don't? Not to mention were we to find them say out of sheer freaking luck would they even listen to us or run again? They made their choices and as stupid as they are we have to respect them. And if it cause them harm i hope not, but if it does. It's on them.

Arric could be a cold bastard when he needed too. It was how he'd survived. Hated it, but could do it.

Arric sighed along with his friend. Me too bud me too.

“Maybe they wouldn’t have run if I hadn’t sent Kelsier to them,” he suggested, a dry smile pulling at his lips. The blame game was fun—he knew it wasn’t a spiral to go down, and yet here he was. "They made it pretty clear what they thought about me and that before they left."

“I just…” He snorted, pushing himself up to sit now, eyes upon the dark entrance of the cave where his kids slept. “Damn if I didn’t envision any of this when we set out to start this pack,” he finally spoke.

Arric laughed outright then


yes they would've because reverie always runs when shes in high emotional. She'd rather run from her problems than face them. That's why she and i grew to be friends. She threw all her baggage at my feet and i tried to help. Bit me in the ass more times than not.

It grew his ire to know they were mean. that sounds like a them problem. Because you did nothing but try and help. They were the ones too far up each others asses to realize they're dysfunctional.

Is anything worth it easy though?