<3 u guys
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it was a grey rain that found the plateau that morning, drifting down in cold droplets. lasher paced alongside his dark companion, attuning himself to her emotions. responsibly, though she had accepted his offer, they would not consummate the union until it had been blessed by their superior, formalized by his word. it had not been a proposal taltos had offered, as she deserved, but a suggestion, driven by his desire to see delight upon her face once more, and children of her womb brought forth into the world.
now, he nudged blue willow's shoulder, pausing in his steps. the swampwater of his gaze lilted with deepest green briefly, before he offered her a quiet smile and lifted his muzzle to call for Dante. he could not conceive of the gunmetal leader refusing their request. he was a logical creature, and moralistic, unfettered with jealousy.
in the rain, lasher waited, buoyed by blue willow's presence at his side, gaze sweeping the sodden thicket.
The day around her was gray, much like her mood of late. She was fighting hard to overcome the gloom that clung to her, much like a second skin. It was taking some time for her, as it would with most who were in love and lost their light. Regardless of the way the offer was made, how nontraditional, and despite what others would think she had accepted and would do so again.
Blue Willow offered a smile at his nudge and returned the gesture. She was new to this, actually being very new to acts of carnal knowledge, so if she thought to much about that it caused her undue palpitations of fear and shyness. She shook her head quickly to dispel such thoughts. Those thoughts would manifest later.
She sat down gently to her haunches as he howled and she waited. Green eyes looking up and around as she waited.
The call that went up was from two such wolves where this was the case. He had spoken to them more recently than most, but he had not seen Willow much since Atticus' disappearance and felt a horrible friend for not being there. He also had not checked on Lasher since his return, though that the two were together showed perhaps they had comfort of companionship in one another. A good thing, he hadn't realized they held such a close friendship until recent events.
"Lasher, Blue, how are you? What can I do for you?" He asked as he approached , sitting before them and looking at each.
it was with attentive swiftness that dante arrived, a pleasing characteristic in a leader, and lasher nodded companionably at him. he knew recent events stressed the man, who had been thrust into the role by peregrine's abrupt departure. taltos hoped that the request he was to put forth would please dante, distract him happily for a moment from his myriad tasks.
dante. it is good to see you.
lasher glanced toward blue willow, gauging her expression before he cleared his throat and began: we have come to ask your blessing upon a union we have formed to support one another, and to bring forth children in the coming spring.
it would not be a traditional arrangement,
he continued, pausing now with an expression of trepidation, for this was what fox had found distasteful, but of course i will help blue willow to raise them. in light of atticus' departure, i felt she could find solace in her children, and she has been a much-beloved companion to me. her presence has helped me to mend, and it is with love in my heart that i made this offer; it is not lightly given or mulled over, by either of us.
the verbose wolf fell silent then, glancing at blue willow to see if she would add anything before his attention returned to dante.
Blue was not surprised with the swiftness with which Dante came forth from the territory. He was a duty bound wolf and loyal, and she had expected nothing less of him. She did not hold his inattentiveness of late against him, rather she knew and understood. He had a lot on his plate, and she hoped this would not add more stress to his already stressed mind.
Blue listened and smiled, Lasher handled the conversation a lot better than she would have. She always find matters of the heart and children a hard question and conversation to have. It always made her a little apprehensive. However, she found she wasn't all that worried this time, because she had made the right decision for herself. Perhaps others would think she was being selfish, and maybe she was. But she felt that she had every right to be for at least one time in her life.
Dante if you do not agree that is fine, but I ask that even if you do disagree and do not give your blessing. You also do not speak cruelly to either one of us about our choices, not that you would, but I would like to have that said anyway. And she wouldn't have it, she wouldn't it wasn't fair and it hadn't been fair of Fox to do such a thing.
He was a product of a match of convenience himself. His father did not choose mates based on love, but based on strength. His mother had not been Atrix's first , nor would she likely be his last now that Dante had left. A strong heir needed to be born. Dante's half -sister hadn't measured up to their father's standards and he guessed that neither would his brother. Lasher and Willow spoke of staring a family, not simply creating strong warriors, so their children were already likely to turn out better than he.
It was logistics he thought on now. They were a strong pack, many and capable , so caring for young would not be difficult. He was not looking to have any anytime soon, and even if he had been, it was his belief that Willow deserved the honor even before he. The only reason he was first and she second was by her choice.
"If you are sure, and I have no doubt you have given this careful thought, then you have my blessing ." He smiled happily. "It will be good to have children in the Plateau once more."
dante listened quietly, and when it came time for him to speak, he granted the request gratefully. lasher glanced toward blue willow again, hoping to see the light appear in her eyes. reaching toward the plateau's alpha, he proffered a gentle nudge to the grey shoulder.
"thank you,"
the earthen delta murmured softly, thinking that now there was only peregrine to tell, but he supposed he would leave that to the willow. if there was a darker portion of his heart that gained minute satisfaction that peregrine would be displeased by the arrangement, or hurt in some way, lasher would never speak of it. consciously, he was not a vengeful beast unless some outside creature meant harm to those he loved.
for now, he was content. there would be time enough to mull over how the devil would take the news of blue willow's impending pregnancy — it was time to induct her firstly into the pleasures that came with the attempts at conception, and though shw was nervous now, in time she would not be so shy.
yes Thank you Dante. Would you consider allowing them to call you uncle? She had thought about offering the option of godfather to Dante, if something should happen to the two, but she still had to speak to Peregrine, wasn't even sure how he would take it, or if she even wanted to tell him or let him find out. She didn't really want to make another trip to the caldera in such a short time, so she would wait until she was certain all would fall into place. After all, she was no spring chicken anymore, and come spring she'd be 4, so there was still question and she wanted to make sure all took before she spoke about it. She nibbled her bottom lip between her fangs as she thought about it.
"I would be absolutely honored," he responded with surprised delight to Blue Willow's suggestion, a happy grin breaking out on his face. His mind couldn't help but go to Tarin at that moment, and to the nieces and nephews that he doubtless had but would never have the pleasure of meeting. He couldn't think of anything he would love more than to have such a tie to their newest additions should the two be blessed by Juno this coming spring.
uncle. of course. lasher lapped his dark plume through the air at her suggestion, and dante's subsequent acceptance. you are next!
he exclaimed slyly, though there was a friendly light in his eyes. to have the gunmetal alpha form such a role to his anticipated children was exciting to taltos, and he glanced fondly between the pair that had supported him through his grief, and held the plateau strong after peregrine's abandonment.
he returned her nudge with one of his own, though his eyes were trained thoughtfully upon dante. did the gunmetal man have a woman in mind to court? lasher inventoried quickly the available females, including amelie in the number despite her youth. then again, it was quite possible that the plateau's alpha would mesh his soul with one not yet among their ranks, as peregrine had.
stepping some feet away from the pair, taltos shook the gathered rainwater from his ruff, and licked droplets from his lips. i shall take my leave now. i have had my eye on a small herd of deer for a couple of days,
he announced to them, nodding again with fondness at dante, though he glanced between the two of them, wondering if one or both wolves would wish to accompany him upon the hunt.
Blue thought about it and then dipped her muzzle I will help you if You would like me too. A deer could be taken down by one if they were smaller, and not a buck, but with two and even three it would go much smoother. She hoped Dante would join them too.
Dante nodded as both looked at him. "What kind of a leader would I be if I let you do all the work?" He joked, "I can help as well." A hunt would be nice, perhaps this time they would have more luck than they had in recent times. They could use all the attempts they could get.
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he gave a lingering smile at them both, taking the lead as they moved into the flatlands for the hunt. lasher was filled with a joy he had not felt since the time of peregrine, and saw the rare silver flash of hope in the days to come.