Redhawk Caldera right now, you're mine

He needed to find a way to relax, real bad. Cinar had been incredibly tense since his last encounter with Towhee, for more reasons than one.

It was far from pleasant to be caught with your pants down, especially when he spent so much time considering how others thought of him and how to influence such opinions. That, and having been turned down his ego was feeling pretty sore; his sour expression made that clear.

Part of him missed the trek to the Teekon Wilds. He had no connections, no real responsibilities, and he was able to lay with whomever he pleased.. no guilt involved. It had been a good time, but it didn't change the simple fact that Cinar was a social creature. He couldn't live that life forever, not without swiftly growing miserable.

So instead of being out and about flashing his feathers like a bird of paradise, he laid on the ground of the caldera to soak up the sun. The heat would help his frustrations pass, and Cinar would pretend that his last few weeks had been nothing but patrols and hunts.

wanted to save this!! :)

Trailhawk kept herself busy. She collected things of interest, she cherished the earlier sunsets so that stargazing was not such a sleepless activity. Her interests expanded each day she spent here. Hunting, babysitting, stargazing. The interest in plants had sprung up too but…

Socializing had become a bit of a hobby too.

Lazily her tail swayed behind her as she spotted the sunbathing man. Eager to build a connection here as well. Especially if it was one that might be as easygoing as this moment seemed to be.

Space for one more?

Happy to have you!

Joined by an almost familiar face, Cinar managed a friendly smile, a silent approval of her ask. They hadn't met formally, but he had seen her in the caldera for long enough now to ease any worries of an intruder. More importantly, she wasn't carrying any sort of reek that would set off old habits for the second time in one week.

It's a good day for sunbathing, one of the last I would think. Winter was approaching swiftly, broken only occasionally by days like this as it grew closer. Cinar, a desert dweller by blood and by nature, was not looking forward to it.

His smile was contagious, if only for the warm welcome feeling it inspired within her. A small grin slipped onto her own features as she allowed herself to splay out next to the man. For a moment, she glimpsed at his dark hues that were flanked by brilliant autumnal colors. Never before had she seen it — and she did not imagine she would forget it.

Cinar, the gold cloak.

Then we must make good on it. She said with a small laugh as her limbs stretched out, paws briefly flexed. Keenly aware of every ache in her muscles. When was the last time she had simply stopped?

The next will be false spring. You know of it?

Perhaps most would find talk of the weather a rather bland subject, but there was no denying it ruled their lives.

His nose twitched as he took her in. Trailhawk was much like Alivia, though taller and not quite so lanky despite it. Cinar still had an eye for darker coats, but he had began to come around to other ideas.

The words she spoke next prompted a tilt of his head. False spring? He repeated. I'm afraid not. This will be my first winter outside of the desert, so it's all very new. He couldn't help chuckling at the thought, it seemed even to him that the idea of an adult experiencing winter for the first time was strange.

Shifting to face his body to hers, he hoped to prompt an explanation.. bland subject or not, he had to admit that he had some interest in it.

Aha!

She had secured a teaching moment!

Her smile grew wider, and her tail offered a sweep of the ground underneath them. Her neck twisted so that she could gaze at him some while still maintaining her sprawled pose.

Sometimes, late in winter, it gets...little warmer. Maybe a day, maybe a week. A little shrug of her shoulders. It was hard to say — and there was the potential it never happened at all! Feels like spring. Only it is not. Freeze comes hard after.

Yet she had noted he had said something interesting. Time to reverse the teaching moment.

What is desert?

Like the weather was playing a trick. He nodded thoughtfully, his brain ticking away as he considered this discovery.

Then, Trailhawk asked something he thought strange! Had she never been in a desert? They're warm areas, usually with a lock of rock and sand instead of grass. He responded, tail thumping as he reflected on his previous home. We never had snow, only the occasional rain.. but my family had a good home there.

But now that home was gone, and he had the caldera instead.

Where have you come from, Trailhawk?

Rocks, sand and no grass.

She did not know how she would do in a place like that. Never any snow could be...good. It meant that perhaps the herds would be there year round to escape cold places like this. She could envision a good home there — even if it was not for her.

It made her appreciate him a touch more. To know how adaptable he was to such a stark change.

Hawk's Nest. She told him the name first. Lots of trees big and tall. Creek with many stones for crossing. Not so different than Redhawk land, but only family there.

Was it melancholy that drifted into the end of her words there? The smile had dimmed only some.

Do you miss desert home?

Perhaps that was an awfully personal topic, but she wished to know him.

So she had lost family, too. Cinar had his doubts that the circumstances had been similar, but it was pleasant to be able to relate nonetheless.

I do. He admitted without hesitation. There was no reason to hide it. But, Redhawk Caldera is my home now. I'll build a new family here, I don't need a desert to do that. It was a prospect that excited him some. A wife who loved him, children he would get to see grow, it was hard to deny that.

I think I could be happy anywhere I'm loved. Wasn't that what was important? Though as he grew older, he found himself craving power as well. To him, that was part of being well liked.

Stretching out his front legs, he rested his muzzle over them.

Yes, she admired him very much.

They did not seem particularly older than one or the other. Yet she appreciated his ease in answering and the solidarity. Not to mention the confidence he had in declaring the Caldera home. Had she used that word for it so far?

It mattered not, because it was the same for her.

Even if that odd feeling grew in her chest at his last decleration.

She craned her own neck back into something more comfortable, staring off into the sun warming lands. A bit keen to hide her distant gaze and the emotions within it.

Her voice was suddenly a smaller thing as if they exchanged secrets now. Perhaps they did.

Are you loved by someone?

What was that like? It seemed so awfully a big word in her minimal experience.

Was he loved? Cinar had to frown.

I was. My mother favoured me, and we were close. She had loved him then, he had no doubt about that. Now I have friends here who care for me. Maybe I'll have a mate one day, and children to raise.. I'd certainly like to. But those things didn't come to him so easily now it seemed. Maybe they could tell that his pollen had already been spread.

What about you, Trailhawk? He asked, watching her as she stared off. Tell me what you want from the caldera.

He had always enjoyed hearing others speak of their goals. It was an easy way to look inside, see what they were made of.

She feared she had indeed asked too much.

Still he answered with what she assumed was easy confidence. Was seemed an even heavier word than loved. Pair together it felt very much like looking into the sun, blinded by it. She had not realized she'd become a bit misty-eyed.

The question was rightfully turned back on her. Only for her to realize she did not have the same grand answers as him nor the confidence to speak so emotionally openly.

Home. She decided on with a soft exhale. Learn new things. Make...good, strong connections.

It felt like a rather lackluster answer in the face of his own words —

"I think I could be happy anywhere I'm loved."

It was easy to see that he may have made her uncomfortable. Nonetheless, she answered, and Cinar did not regret it.

Well then I suppose you've done both here, haven't you? He smiled, hoping to offer some consolation. It's alright to not know exactly what you want. Sometimes you won't until it's already taken you. He chuckled, reflecting on his own ventures. Ambition had a way of consuming you like that.

Pushing to a stand, he shook his fur clean of dust. I should be checking the caches about now.. unfortunately the sun can't cancel out responsibility. He sighed, briefly looking to the sky. Let's take a walk together sometime, hm? He offered. Whenever you're in the mood. Then, they might both learn something new again.

A laugh masked the small sniffling sound she had started to make.

Cinar was a very good man, she had decided. Good for the Caldera and good for company. Maybe more time spent with him would lend her some of his own confidence.

She stayed flat against the ground as he stood. The smile had returned to her features at his offer. Strong connections, she had said. Here he was offering her a way to do that.

We will. Very soon.

It was a promise.

Thank you, Cinar.

She offered before he could depart fully.