Bonesplinter Ravine pack it up

for @Envy and @Elowen

the dawn breaks softly over the hinterlands.

lorcan stirs first (or so he thought), his golden eyes cracking open to the sight of elowen curled beside him, her chest rising and falling. the corners of his mouth twitch faintly—something resembling a smile—but it fades quickly as he leans down, nudging her cheek gently with his nose.

time to go, dove, he whispers to her. his breath brushes against her ear as he lingers for a moment, watching her stir before he pulls back.

he rises to his feet, shaking out his dark coat. the chill of morning clings to the air, and he huffs softly, his gaze scanning the surroundings. envy’s absence doesn’t go unnoticed, though he’s hardly concerned. his eyes catch the faint trail she left behind—pawprints winding down the dusty mountainside and into the ravine they had set up camp before.

his gaze lifts, and there she is, perched on a ledge not far off. her crooked tail swaying lazily as she gnaws on a bone. as elowen gets to her paws, her mate begins a slow walk towards envy, chuffing loud enough for it to carry off through the ravine. we're up, envy.

She kept her distance from them. Sleeping alone in a sheltered crag through the night, wondering if Dreven was following. Surely they'd have met up by now if he was.

A strange feeling hovered over her as of late. Her importance slipping.

She knew the girl and she knew Lorcan harboured his affections for her, but to come out of the bramble with a spontaneous wife prompted a feeling of unease within. Not jealousy, per say, monogamy was not a beacon of importance in her life, but just...

Inadequate. Her importance waned and it gave her mind little rest.

Even beyond them, it was this journey itself. For what use was she, without herbs in her corner, without thralls at her beck and call? Dead weight, that was what. it was a feeling that made her wish to crawl out of her own skin, uneasy, uneasy, anxious.

And so, she returned to her old haunts, slinking off in the night, having mangled a fox and left its body to bake under the morning sun; a nice meal for any hungering vultures. It was in this dance of mutilation that she found a sort of expression. Tendons snapping, muscles tearing away, like opening a gift, she liked to peer inside and see every gear that worked a silent labour beneath the surface; a kaleidoscope of beautiful inner machinations, her eyes and her brain soaked it all in. There was study, in this macabre tango.

But sometimes, sometimes she just liked to hurt them. Made her own problems seem a little smaller, it gave some respite for feelings she didn't quite know what to do with, how to face.

Lorcan's voice on the breeze gained a flick of an ear from her, she ceased gnawing on the fox bone, a leg, and shuffled it gently off the cliff ledge before rising. Let's go then. She muttered, taking a few paces ahead.

elowen stirred at lorcan’s nudge, her ears twitching as his breath warmed the cusp of her fur. a soft murmur escaped her as she blinked her eyes open, bleary and slow. for a moment, she stayed there, nestled against him, reluctant to move from the comfort of his warmth.

“already?” she whispered, her voice still heavy with sleep. she rolled onto her side, watching as he stretched and shook himself free of the night’s chill. there was a certain beauty in how he moved, so sure and strong, even in the early light of morning. her lips curved faintly upward, a flicker of fondness slipping through the haze of waking.

she rose to her paws soon after, the cold biting at her as she shook out her pale fur. her gaze followed his to envy, perched high and distant, her shape a sharp silhouette against the lightening sky. something in the way the other wolf carried herself—aloof and far away, but not quite detached—stirred an unease in elowen. she pressed closer to lorcan, as if his presence alone could steady her.

as he chuffed to envy, elowen cast her gaze toward the fox's mangled remains at the base of the ledge, her stomach twisting faintly at the sight. she said nothing, though her eyes lingered on the uneaten carcass for a moment too long. fascinating.

she walked close to lorcan’s side as they began their descent, her shoulder brushing his every few steps, as if tethering herself to him to edge away her discomfort.

lorcan glances toward envy, her sharp frame silhouetted against the morning light as she strides ahead, keeping her distance. something that draws a vague quirk of his brow from the bastard. his lips twitch, a faint smirk tugging at the corner as he raises his voice just enough to reach her.

so, what’s it today, envy? foxes? rabbits? or are you finally aiming higher—badgers, maybe? his tone is light, teasing, laced with the kind of rough humor he knows she’ll bristle at just enough to make it fun.

as they move, he presses closer to elowen, enjoying the warmth of her next to him. every so often, he nudges her gently, a soft brush of his nose against her cheek or a fleeting touch to her shoulder. she belongs here, next to him.

maybe we'll find a herd o' something to hunt along the way. could be fun.

he doesn't know why he's trying to lighten the mood. he really, honestly, shouldn't care.