Whitebark Stream you have the universe in your veins

It felt strange to cross the river without any other purpose than she can. The agreement had been a thing, in varying degrees, since she'd arrived and decided on her claim. She knows she met Reek across the stream, a little further ways down, and that had been the end of it. She'd been content, for a while, to let things go as they were but eventually it spiraled out beyond any of their control. Now, she approaches the stream knowing she isn't breaking any laws or agreements, that a war isn't going to start because she's here, exploring a territory she never got to explore.

The upper half of the taiga, she's mapped rather well. She knows how to get where she's going but the southwestern side is mostly unknown. Her paws step into the cool stream, a wind ruffles her fur, and she crosses the gentle current with ease.

In the distance, she can see the beginnings of the Maplewood. It is her ultimate destination. She'd explored it a little over a week ago, but with a different purpose, and now she's rested and well fed once more, and she takes caution to it as she would any neutral territory. Scents might remain, but they would be faint, but Thuringwethil doesn't rush her trip. Standing, water just above her ankles in the stream, she drops her head for a cool drink of water and watches as the occasional small minnows pass her by.

Following the morning of the anticlimactic battle, Wildfire decided to keep her distance from the pack's leadership. It wasn't that she didn't want to spend time with Thuringwethil—she most certainly did—but there were two reasons for her avoidance of the black Alpha. Firstly, she couldn't make sense of her own feelings toward the commander, nor explain her heartfelt confession from that evening a week ago. She kind of wanted to sort it out before she approached Thuringwethil again. Secondly, she didn't want to exacerbate the issue between herself and Magpie. She couldn't be sure but she sensed it had to do with the Heda herself, not just the failed war. On that note, it was probably pretty obvious why she left her aunt well enough alone.

She kept busy trying to integrate into the pack by mapping the lay of the land, acquainting with her comrades and adding to the caches. She was busily doing the latter when she spotted a black figure loping southwest away from the mountain. Wildfire paused over the stump where she had just made her deposit, squinting, feeling a dip in her belly when she recognized Thuringwethil. Despite herself, the yearling broke into a light trot, shadowing the commander's steps. She followed her right out of the territory, always keeping her distance and staying out of view. When the black she-wolf slowed near the stream, Wildfire slipped behind the pale trunk of a birch, her amber eyes peeking out as Thuringwethil waded into the cool water.

Her ears remain alert on her head, even as she drinks from the pool and her sight is temporarily taken from her surroundings. Most of the noises she notes to be typical; the gentle lapping of stream water, the wind a gust by her ears, and birds in the distance that sing a mismatched song she’s heard several times before. There’s a peacefulness that it gives her, knowing the threat to the south is gone, and she won’t be attacked for coming so close. She even remains oblivious to Wildfire following her, as the wind mostly moves against her face and doesn’t whip the familiar scent of the fiery girl in her direction.

When her thirst is quenched, Thuringwethil moves on, and eventually steps out of the stream to further her trek toward the maplewood.

Thuringwethil began to move again, wading toward the opposite bank, and Wildfire lingered behind the tree, deliberating whether to follow any further. She wasn't sure she was ready to speak with the dark commander and there would come a point where following her like this stopped being cute and started being creepy (if she hadn't already crossed that threshold). Lips twisting, the young she-wolf decided it was probably better to turn and head home, leave the Heda to her solitary scouting no matter how badly Wildfire wanted to accompany her.

She turned to go and immediately tripped over the root of a neighboring aspen, face-planting with a loudly grunted, "Oof!"

*facepalm*

Thuringwethil continues to move forward up until a gentle oof catches her attention. She pivots around with speed that might have thrown someone off balance but the sudden threat—so close to the maplewood—doesn’t leave her time for mistakes. Her muscles tighten and she prepares herself for an attack, but by the time she’s able to focus, she sees the fiery girl on the other side of the stream, face planted in the dirt.

She blinks a few times, giving her a chance to relax, before she takes a step back the way she’d been traveling. “Are you following me?” she asks with knitting brows, re-approaching the streams bank. The girl is pointed the opposite direction for her to be followed, but the question remains and her own expression paints confusion across her face.

Before she could even register what had happened, a shadow loomed over her, all the way from the far side of the creek. Wildfire wilted beneath the commander's scrutinizing look and demanding tone. Rather than push herself upright, she rolled slightly so that her weight rested on her right elbow and hip. She ducked her head low in obvious shame. Her throat and chest both felt tight and her face was hot with embarrassment at not only exemplifying her gracelessness yet again but being caught stalking the Alpha female like some creep.

"I—I was," she admitted feebly, as Wildfire couldn't bear the thought of lying to Thuringwethil. "I'm sorry. I saw you leaving and my curiosity got the best of me. I'll go." She began to roll onto her feet, keeping her posture low, heart thudding in her chest even as she secretly hoped the Heda would ask her to stay.

Thuringwethil frowns as Wildfire speaks—not because of her answer, but her tone—and she finds herself taking a few more steps forward so that she crosses back to the other side of the stream. It’s not enough to really back-track her progress, but Wildfire’s recoil makes her stomach turn. Thankful she has yet to eat, sure that it might not settle well, she takes long strides to try and close the distance before the girl disappears back to the Dragon.

“You should not sneak around,” she offers and gives the smaller wolf a little smile, hopefully encouraging enough. “But you don’t have to go, if you don’t want to.” Company would be nice on her trip, but she hadn’t intended to have any distractions when she visits the maplewood. Wildfire tends to take all of her attention when she’s around, though she can’t quite explain why and doesn’t intend to search for the answer just yet.

Wildfire kept her amber eyes trained on her feet as the sound of sloshing water announced that Thuringwethil was wading back across to her. Her heart hammered in her chest but she held still, glancing up only when she sensed the Alpha standing near her. She offered a crooked, apologetic smile even as her guts twisted. She loathed it when those she cared about were upset with her. On top of that, there was her peculiarly strong attachment to the commander, which made it all so much worse.

The invitation to stay provided a measure of relief, as well as made the yearling's heart skip a beat. "I'm sorry," she repeated, "I didn't mean to." That sounded dumb, yet it was the truth. "Where are you headed anyway?" she wondered in the next breath, eyes panning past the Heda's shoulder. "Going to loot the maple wood?" she guessed lightly, black tail twitching.

Thuringwethil frowns when the girl apologizes again and she shakes her head, warding it off. She even goes as far as reaching out and touching her muzzle with a gentle lick before pulling away and redirecting herself back the way she’d been going. The observation isn’t incorrect, but her intention isn’t quite the same. There likely isn’t anything of use to the heda in the maplewood, assuming the wolves would have taken the most important things. She knew little about herbs to warrant putting something in her mouth to carry back if she didn’t recognize it. 

“I guess just to really check out the territory. Make sure they’re really gone, map it. Scouting stuff,” she said with a hint of a smile to make her trip sound like she had more of a purpose than security. Wanting to make sure the phoenix wolves are gone happen to be a big part of it. She doesn’t mention the thought of marking it, leaving behind her scent as a warning. To Saena and her own, to the lone wolves. Thuringwethil wouldn’t allow anyone to settle there again without her approval.

She begins her trek once more, moving toward the stream to cross it again.

The touch of the commander's tongue sent something in Wildfire's belly aflutter. If she didn't know better, she would have pegged this for a crush, as it reminded her of how she'd once felt toward Floki. But Thuringwethil was a woman, so that didn't make sense. It wasn't even that the yearling took issue with the idea of same sex pairings in general (she didn't), she had simply never once considered the possibility on a personal level. Mostly because she wanted kids and that wasn't how it worked. Her parents' lovers, for instance, were just for fun, not for reproduction.

A whole bunch of thoughts swarmed through her head, though luckily the Heda didn't seem to notice. She turned to wade back into the creek and, shoving her thoughts forcefully aside, the young ranger galloped after her. Perhaps sparked by the lick the moment prior, she found herself batting at the tip of the Alpha's tail. When Thuringwethil began to move across the shallows, Wildfire bounded in after her, splashing cold water all over both of them.

Traveling back over the stream, for her, are careful steps. It’s not a rushing water that would cause her feet to slip out from beneath her, or enough to splash, so when it hits her she has to stop and look behind her. Her movements had been easy, not disturbing more than she has to, but the cold water soaks through her dark fur, still full of tufts from her winter coat. She hadn’t noticed her tail being messed with, swaying lazily behind her like a cat.

Thuringwethil is silent for a moment, as she takes the rest of the time to get out on the other side of the stream, and turns back to watch Wildfire cross the rest of the distance. She remembers the girl isn’t much younger than she, remembers the other hadn’t been forced to grow up as she had been, but her playfulness sometimes remains lost on the leader. It’s there, like an instinct—she should know how to, but she doesn’t—or a memory she can’t reach. A memory she doesn’t actually have.

She swallows, and looks away. A question littered on her tongue she doesn’t want to ask, doesn’t quite want to spoil the mood. Instead she smiles, a haunting turn of her lips on dark fur, before she turns and continues forward.

Seemingly undeterred by the playful Theta, Thuringwethil made her way to the far side of the creek again and clambered onshore. Wildfire splashed after her, head slightly cocked, feeling a bit unsure. Was the Alpha ignoring her? Was she displeased? Then she caught the commander's almost shy smile. Returning it, the yearling bounded out after the Heda, shaking her feet absently as she made to catch up with her even stride.

With that little smile still dancing in her mind's eye, Wildfire slipped ahead of Thuringwethil, then whirled to face her, blocking her path. She wriggled slightly in the instant before she reached out a forepaw and ever so gently bumped the other wolf's nose with a stage-whispered, "Boop!"

#400 post for you!!

Thuringwethil realizes it was foolish to think Wildfire would ease into her gait next to her on the way to the maplewood. Out of the corner of her eyes, she’s quick to stand in front of her, preventing her from walking any further. Soon, a paw is in her face and Thuringwethil snaps—though her intention is mixed, indecipherable between playful and serious—but her foot is saved from her teeth. Standing still, her smile disappears from her face.

The change in their dynamic differs from when the younger wolf had not been apart of her pack, had not taken the role of her subordinate or bowed to Heda. The innocence between them, however, isn’t something she wants to lose so she nudges her nose against Wildfire’s snout and directs her attention back to their purpose. Suddenly worried she might remove that pretty smile from the girl’s face, she lets her own return and she bumps her shoulder.

“There is something I need to talk to you about,” she says with a light voice, not quite serious enough to cause concern, but she focuses on Wildfire’s face for a subtle change she might have worried her.

Grats! :D

Thuringwethil snapped in the direction of her paw and Wildfire made an undignified squeaking noise. She either didn't notice the disappearance of the commander's smile or take it seriously if she did. She began to sashay her hips, weaving her hindquarters as she prepared to dip forward into a playful bow. But then the Alpha female gave Wildfire a pointed nudge. The skin where they touched felt warm and, sensing the Heda's businesslike demeanor, the yearling straightened, dropped her eyes and huffed a sheepish laugh.

They began to move in tandem toward the maple forest, their shoulders lightly bumping, when Thuringwethil spoke. Something wrenched in Wildfire's gut. Her heart began beating faster. She glanced sideways at the leader, making note of the light tone and expression as she queried, "What is it?" Wildfire tried but failed to keep a skein of trepidation out of her voice.

Relocating, and taking in wolves not of her own, had caused Thuringwethil to realize how much easier she had it before coming here. Wolves were at her call if she needed them and things were easily handed to her, wolves that had already accepted her as the vessel. Correcting wolves never had been much of her liking, rarely did she ever have to do it, and sometimes someone else entirely took care of it. There were few wolves here that would know what to do.

“I do not mind you calling me Thur,” she tells the girl, which she’s stated before—she’d given permission weeks ago before she expected the girl to come home with her. “But around—and too—the others, you should address me as they do: Heda.”

The yearling felt a flush creeping up her neck as the commander spoke, a stab of embarrassment piercing her when she realized her faux pas. Wildfire couldn't have known, yet she felt idiotic all the same. Her head bowed slightly toward her chest, her eyelashes fluttering as her teeth dug into her lip. She wanted to splutter out an apology, yet she said nothing for a moment, instead steadying herself with a breath.

She replayed Thuringwethil's words in her head and some of the unpleasant heat creeping along her neck and shoulders began to abate—or take on a different nature, anyhow. She didn't mind the pet name in private. Maybe instead of feeling rebuked, Wildfire should focus on that. Maybe it was even a special privilege. The red she-wolf felt her pulse flutter at the thought, a soft smile snaking its way back onto her lips.

"Yes, Heda," she replied with a dip of her head and twitch of her blackened tail. "Sorry about that," she added lightly, unable to stop from apologizing in the end.

awkward thurin is awkward

There’s an awkward moment of silence when Wildfire doesn’t say anything right away and Thuringwethil frowns. Worried she’s suddenly made her uncomfortable, her weight shifts in her gait so that she slows (are they still walking? I forgot) enough to ease the pressure she may or may not have put upon the other. She looks away, in their intended direction, and focuses on that in the few seconds she’s given before she speaks.

A smile returns to her features then and she wags her tail, easing some of her posture once Wildfire speaks up. She turns, nudging her nose against her snout and offering a gentle, encouraging lick. “There is a lot for you to learn,” she says once she draws back, leaving the statement a little open ended—learning from her, from the others. Either way, she hopes her acclimation into Drageda life is an easy transition.

Their pace had slowed somewhat, though as soon as the moment passed, they picked it up again. Usually so fond of exploring, Wildfire scarcely noticed their surroundings. Her attention was paid in full to her companion as she mulled over what sorts of things she would learn in the coming days. She imagined there was quite a bit to learn about the culture of Drageda and she would prove an eager pupil.

"Will you teach me more of the—language?" she asked, stammering slightly when she drew a blank on the actual name of it. "Heda?" she made sure to add with a touch of playfulness in her tone. Although she enjoyed the fact that she was welcome to call Thuringwethil by her casual nickname during private moments like these, she also enjoyed saying her formal title too. It was a reminder of her status. The commander's power and prowess was understated, yet it certainly compelled the yearling in its way.

Fleetingly, Wildfire wondered what else the Alpha might teach her, the brief and scant thoughts causing her heart to beat faster. But before she could delve any deeper, something small and furry scurried across the wolves' path and the youthful hunter reacted on instinct. She leaped, jaws snapping, and felt a soft, warm body between her teeth. She applied enough pressure to perform a killing bite, then relaxed her jaw to deposit the body of a scrawny young rabbit at her feet.

"Would you like this?" she asked, licking the blood from her teeth. "If not, I'll take it back to the caches."

“Of course,” she says, wondering if she’d like a short break down. There are terms Thuringwethil still uses, even if they’ve tried to settle between her own ways and Gyda. Proving a little difficult, butting heads frequently enough, she sometimes misses the simple life of leading on her own and not having to worry about accommodating something she doesn’t necessarily believe in. Gyda’s own native tongue is foreign enough to her, even if she knew a few words and phrases, and it went the same with Sangilak and her own, but even less is known there.

Before she has a chance to make a decision, Wildfire jumps and startles the older wolf. She hadn’t been paying much attention, focused on the girl, that when she suddenly darts after a kill with ease, she can’t help but tense up and the fur around her neck bristle and expand her size. It takes a few seconds to register, but eventually Wildfire is back at her feet and offering her the gift or willing to take it home. She glances to the ground at the kill, smiles, but shakes her head.

“It is yours. You should eat it.”

The commander didn't want the kill and neither did Wildfire. "But I'm not hungry," she said with a playful smile and a few twitches of her tail. Her teeth dug into her lip as she deliberated whether to accompany Thuringwethil further or head back now. The choice was obvious—she had no desire to part ways—but she would either have to carry the carcass or stash it and risk it being stolen. Neither choice appealed to her.

In the end, Wildfire had to remind herself that—hello—they lived in the same pack. She would see the Heda later, possibly even later today. And there would be plenty more scouting missions in future. Thuringwethil had begun this particular trek alone and Wildfire would leave her to it, although she was already making plans in her head to propose a joint ranging expedition at some point.

"I'll leave you to loot the maple wood," the yearling quipped softly. "See you around?" She wasn't entirely sure why it came out as a question rather than a statement, nor why she didn't just pack up and go but instead lingered, almost hopefully, to see if the Alpha had anything else to say.

Wildfire did no wish to take the kill and Thuringwethil frowned inwardly, but she brushes it off and lets Wildfire do with it as she pleases. There’s a slight depth in her stomach that could use it, but it isn’t enough to take it. Eventually, Wildfire decides on her course of action and the dark leader nods her head a few times, though she isn’t too sure if something is wrong. Two attempts to return back to the pack territory, leaving Thuringwethil on her own, but she doesn’t question it more than a few moments.

“I’ll see you soon,” she finally assures and bumps Wildfire’s nose. Once she’s gone, Thuringwethil will continue her trek out into the maplewood, but only when she nearly disappears from view.

Thuringwethil only said a few more words, nothing out of the ordinary. All the same, Wildfire fought not to smile like an idiot as she gently returned the nudge, then somewhat reluctantly gathered her kill and moved back in the direction of the dormant volcano. Of course, she glanced over her shoulder a handful of times—until the distance obstructed her view—then faced forward again and smiled around the carcass as she headed home.

She was nowhere closer to unpacking her affinity for the commander and Wildfire could not shake the feeling Magpie wouldn't really appreciate their stolen moments. The yearling couldn't bring herself to care. Something about the private interaction with the Heda left her feeling giddy and light. It took all of her concentration not to trip over her own feet on her way home and then to focus on stowing the food properly once she got there.