Fox's Glade jalada

it was in humiliation and anger that silvertongue traveled toward the creek once more. but she did not intend to touch its border again. her mouth twitched as the shadow of the glade drank her into its throat and there she remained, calling once for @Arric to come along if he would. she meant to share the decision between she and akavir. and in truth, because she did not know what the great man knew of her past, to offer him too an out from her arms.

Arric heard the call and headed towards it calmly as you please. What she had gone through was shitty, but it had been her story to tell and too many had taken that from her. He wasn't going to be one.

A smile that lit up blue eyes when he arrived.

Heya silvertongue. You coulda come found me you know.

He bent to nudge her gently with large head and then settled to his haunches.

"i thought it best to call you here," silvertongue said. her throat felt thick, her limbs heavy. his touch, desperate as she was for it, did not silence her spirit's crying. and so she forced herself into steadiness, into some semblance of who and what she was. "what has akavir told you?" for she worked now beneath the assumption that there was something shared, some judgement in arric waiting to show itself.

Arric blinked at her expression unsure what had happened. Had he somehow done something? He didn't think so.

He ahook his head. Not much. I've hardly seen him since he got back. And then i was uh.

He grinned sheepishly. basically i tired myself out so much. i uhh made myself sick so i been laid up for a bit.

He shrugged broad shoulders.

"i am glad you rested," silvertongue murmured, raising a paw to place on his muscular forearm. "please let me know if you do not recover. we have a garden of herbs." her touch lingered, going on; at last she broke it and focused herself. "akavir and i have ended our relationship. i know you are like a hermano to him, a brother. but i cannot see you at the creek. only — mm, here." silvertongue did not think arric would accept, but offered a small, true smile all the same.

Arric smiled and dipped his head. Yea we have a couple good healers. I know you have many more though. he chuckled. It had taken them almost a full year to get the healers when it seemed Riverclan just birthed healers.

He blinked. Well shit are you okay?

He looked at her with concern. Akavir was on his mind too, but Silver was present in front of him now.

He'd be asking Akavir if he cared, but he saw no reason to end something that technically didn't exist although his mind mind went to wren.

Is it cause you and Wren are a couple?

He blinked confused. See this was why everyone needed to communicate. Especially in these types of things.

a small touch of something to her eyes. "i will be well. and it is not over wren and i. but i believe perhaps it has to do with eshe." akavir had not said. silvertongue had only assumed. yet he had not denied it when she mentioned the cloud-healer's name. and so, ah, that was enough for her. "so, you see, i do not want to be a — temptation." cruel, even as amusement spread across her mouth. "one day too i will lose you, handsome one, though not so swiftly, i hope."

Arric frowned and nodded. Yea Akavir and Eshe aren't built to share. Not that they wouldn't entertain the thoughtm but thats just not for everyone.

Arric chuckled a small glimmer in his gaze.  I'm a temporary fix Silver. Alwaya have been.


And that was all he said. He dipped his head. You wanna a hug?

a frown; "there is nothing temporary about you, arric," and then she allowed herself to be wound into the warm strength of his arms, against the beating heart which so loved the creek. any other time she might have pressed against him, teased arric into more; but now silvertongue found her face tucked against his dark fur, where small soft cries announced her utter fatigue with having forced herself to be so very strong for so very long. shame, then; she cared greatly for akavir and arric but had she not used them to assuage the pain of knowing she would never have crowfeather's love? and wren; wren, a far safer oasis than men who wanted wives and children; wren, who had been the only one able to mend mind with body; and a second choice as well to the dark prince! so unfair! and silvertongue at the center of it all.

Arric offered a humorless smil3. Juries still out on that we'll say.

He held her tightly where he could. He didn't know all of her dtory and it wasn't his right to know. She would tell him if she fwlt like it. What she had done, in some minds perhaps wrong. But he knew trauma amd it was also normal. He hoped she could heal someday.

He said nothing. Gave no declarations or explained or asked. Simply held. It seemed to him this was one of the times you simply held and listened.

a fool's tears! a coward's weeping! if she wanted akavir, she could have him; oh, silvertongue knew very much what she could possess and not, but she understood the cost of such selfish actions. and she wanted none of it, had become accustomed to the mutual exchange. arric held her and asked for nothing, and somehow this forced a stronger weeping; she buried her forehead against his shoulder and sobbed until there was nothing left.

There was something to be said for the cleansing action of tears. However, he also was aware how tired it made you. And it was the bone deep weary tired.

He held her fast and let her tears run for that was what she needed. And who was he too demand she speak when clearly she hurt deep in her heart.

when it was over, when it was passed, silvertongue hung tiredly in his arms and at last deposited herself back onto her own paws. "thank you, arric." another time, another time, always. "i will come back to see you, in happier times," she told him, kissing the wide bridge of his nose as lashes fluttered to a close.