Firefly Glen the mood it changes like the wind

As the great heaving mass of atmospheric pressure and moisture broke upon the Glen with a sudden rage, Rian turned his face to the sky and smiled. He loved the rain, and how it brought renewing moisture to the fields that harbored the game they favored. It was a natural cycle he didn't understand on an academic level, but appreciated all the same. The downpour was not at all torrential, but it was certainly heavy, and pattered against the now-slick ground, creating puddles where the runoff failed to reach the multitude of streams that lined the glen.

He continued his patrol, albeit slower as not to slip in the mud that was quickly forming beneath his feet as the water soaked into the firma. It wasn't often he found himself alone nowadays, but it was nice to be afforded with the oppertunity to think. His muscles still ached from his fight with Rannoch, but it was a constant reminder of how foolish he'd been. Rian was not a prideful creature, but to give in to envy in such a violent way was telling of his occasional instability. Hormones, too, played a part and the logician in him was aware of it. He was two weeks shy of his first birthday, and Rannoch was not far behind him.

Thunder clapped above and drew him from his thoughts. Somewhere ahead, a small flock of starlings scattered from the long grass.

It was raining again. Liffey wondered about this, supposing that perhaps it had something to do with the time of year that the rain clouds seemed to gather so frequently. It was nothing she had ever been told for there had been no naturalist in her natal pack to teach her about these things. Still, the logic-minded wolf reasoned that it was a possibility given what she had learned about the natural world thus far in her short life. In any event, Liffey had watched the storm coming just as attentively as the last, recognizing with a thrill some of the same patterns she had noticed with the first. She was getting better at this, and it was wonderful to know that the knowledge she had gained might actually be of use to her new pack.

Liffey didn't much mind the rain, however as it grew heavier, she had decided it might behoove her to return to the rest of the wolves she had come to ally herself with. She had a mind to seek out Rannoch, though she chided herself only moments into the thought that she really should try to spend more time with the others. This was not like the Caldera where her status as the alphas' daughter secured her a place. She needed to earn it, and part of that was proving her worth to everyone and not just the one she had already befriended. So, by the time she returned to the glen, it was with her intent set on spending time with someone new.

And thus, she stumbled upon Rian. Liffey saw him patroling during her approach and with a nervous flutter in her chest, she had turned to intercept him. She had always been a bit anxious around strangers, though she had greatly improved from the little girl who would literally hide from any unfamiliar face she came across. Still, the Blackthorn felt a little uncertain of herself as she stepped tentatively into view with a light chuff to announce herself, her head bowed slightly but tail waving amiably.

"Lovely day for a walk," Liffey commented with a soft smile as thunder rumbled gently through the air.

There was a way of things in the yearling pack, and one of those was that he was never left alone for long. It was both a blessing and a curse—Rian was someone quite fond of solitude, but it was a vice. His seclusion often left him feeling hollow and ravaged from the dark, intrusive thoughts that clawed their way out when there was nothing to distract him. He occasionally suspected that Rannoch and Cypress both were working to solve that problem of his, and were in on it together. Rian knew they were both aware something was off with him at times, but he wondered if they understood just how deep the chasm ran.

A grayscale shape cut in to his periphreal vision and he turned to face Liffey as she chuffed a friendly greeting with her head bowed demurely. It caused a warmth to bloom in his chest and a smile to touch his lips. He had no strong feelings towards the females of the pack, despite his budding hormonal problems, because he had a special place in his heart for one head of the Cerberus. But he enjoyed their company all the same. Liffey, in particular, reminded him of his sisters, and that gave him a small measure of comfort.

Rian perked his ears and gave a wave of his slightly elevated tail. The thunder rumbled a drumroll above their heads, and he glanced up briefly only to return his full attention to the grayscale girl. "Hey Liffey." He greeted warmly, somehow remembering her name out of the others. "Yeah, I wish it would stay like this forever." The yearling shrugged and twisted an ear back. "Wanna join me? I just started my patrol."

Liffey felt a rush of pleasure that he remembered her name. It was not like the romantic excitement she felt when Rannoch said her name, which was totally not romantic in any way (the denial is real), but more akin to pride in the simple fact that she was somehow memorable. She smiled at his comment, giving a quick glance overhead to watch the tops of the trees sway gently from the wind.

"Sure," the Blackthorn replied, mirth dancing in the flames of her eyes, "I'm very tough and strong, so I'll definitely be the most helpful." She grinned at herself, falling easily into step beside him. "Also, if the past few days are any indication, I think you might get your wish," she added, referencing the seemingly endless rainfall.

Liffey was a welcome addition to their band—one of the few Rian had any aversion towards. She was supremely helpful, skilled, and had the distinction of being favored by Rannoch (in a way deeper than he was remotely aware of). It was for that reason that he found himself content with her company, as opposed to possibly Redshank or one of the others he was less familiar with. 

The rain continued to fall on them both as they continued down the trail, and he chuffed at her commentary. "Maybe, though I'd rather not have to carry Redshank through a foot of mud if it keeps up like this." He remarked, half-serious but mostly joking. The russet boy was a spitfire, and had more of a mouth on him than any of the others combined. Rian still wasn't sure what to make of him, but Rannoch was clearly not going to tolerate any insubordination for long.

He twisted one ear forward, while the other remained relaxed and slanted towards his companion. "I never really got a chance to ask, but what brought you to us?" He didn't want to directly ask hey is your family missing like mine but the question was something that hung heavy in his mind. Everyone had a story, and his was neither worse nor better than theirs. The young O'Malley was simply curious.

Liffey smiled at his response, thinking about the young wolf he referenced. She didn't know the boy too well, but he seemed like an interesting character. There was a fire in him that actually reminded her a bit of her mother, which was a comforting but bittersweet thing. She didn't have nearly the self-awareness she needed to realize she had this fire herself buried somewhere in her that surfaced every once in a while under duress. That would have been a bittersweet comfort as well.

The conversation shifted away from the weather to something a little more personal. Liffey didn't mind in the least, though she wasn't completely certain how to answer. There was so much she could say, but the wound of her departure from her family still ached, particularly when she spoke of it.

"Well, I'd been thinking for a while that I might want to leave the pack I was born into and make my own way. I didn't feel much like I really fit in there, so when I ran into Rannoch and he told me what you guys were up to it was kind of exactly what I was looking for too," she answered, hoping she wasn't being too revealing. It wasn't that she at all minded him knowing, but they didn't know each other overly well and so she hesitated to burden him with too much of her drama.

The rain continued to patter down, though the severeity of it had lessened somewhat since they'd begun their patrol. It was no longer roaring—rather, a gentle downpour that dampened the world around them and the outer hairs of his thick pelt. But it was sure to soak them both to the skin given enough time. Another rumble of thunder echoed out across the plains but this time he merely twisted an ear towards it and, instead, continued to give Liffey the full breadth of his attention which was characteristically intense, but genteel. 

A scent drew his nose towards it and he bowed to sniff it idly as she replied to his question. He lifted a leg to splash a bit of urine on it before drawing up alongside his company. "Yeah? I didn't either, really. Fit into my own pack, I mean." Rian explained, being unusually verbose for the first time in a while. "Kinda sucks—I didn't expect so many others had similar problems." He suddenly sucked in a breath and flattened both ears, "Sorry, not that it sucks you're here or anything because you're rather nice and, uh, not dramatic..."

The telling of her story - however synopsis in nature - threatened to drag her into the sullen introspection that often came along with reminiscing about what had happened. She missed her family terribly still and wanted nothing more than to see them again, but she only wanted it without the angst and guilt of having abandoned them the way she had. That simply wasn't possible, though. If she went home, she would be faced with her family's disappointment and anger. She couldn't handle it yet, for her own guilt at hurting them could still be strong enough to keep her there and make her abandon this pack instead.  No, it was better to stay away for the time-being. Someday...

Liffey focussed on Rian's response to draw her back from her memories and wishful longing. It seemed he had a similar story. Not just him, but many of them. His awkward back-pedaling made her smile and she shook her head. "It's okay, I know what you mean," she reassured him, "It sucks to feel like you don't belong, but I also think it's kind of.. okay. My older brother is glued to my family's pack - he never leaves the territory even. I'm sure he's happy that way, but his world is just so small. I can't imagine living like that. I think it's better to find your own way in life and make what you want of it, even when it's uncomfortable or scary or..."

Liffey paused, realizing she was rambling and potentially overstepping. She glanced at Rian and smiled apologetically. "I'm rambling," she informed him, as though he didn't know. She ducked her head slightly, gently chuckling at herself.

Yeah, he could definitely see why Rannoch had taken such a shine to her.

A rare smile tugged lightly at the corners of his mouth and he expelled a bit of air through his nose. "No, it's fine." He replied in the hopes of dispelling any doubt she had about being so verbose about her feelings. He wasn't used to others being so open about their inner-most thoughts, and he was glad for the brief glimpse into her past. It gave him some measure of comfort, and allowed him to compare it to his own. The months of uncertainty following Scimitar and Eshe's death was what drove Rian to his final conclusions, and the spark of inspiration (and insanity) to admit them to Cypress.

And now they were here. "I could, once upon a time. I wanted to lead, like my Aunt and Uncle and ma at the time. Be a royal of Neverwinter." He said and licked at the rainwater collecting on his jowls before continuing. "But then home wasn't a home anymore. Our families weren't whole and, one by one, they left us. The pack was hemorrhaging; there was no unity. Cypress and I were wasting away alone. Then Rannoch came back and, well, here we are." 

Liffey returned the smile, accepting his reassurance and letting it settle her embarassment. He was a kind wolf - quiet, a little intense sometimes, but quickly becoming one of her favorites in their little band of wanderers. She admired all three of these brothers who had pulled this group together. They seemed to have their own little world, just the three of them, inside this bigger one. Liffey still felt very much on the outskirts of it all, but she longed to be right in the middle with them, to feel like she belonged in a way she hadn't at the Caldera.

His story intrigued her. She listened with rapt attention, playing out the scenes in her head. Little detail was actually given, but Liffey was an imaginative enough creature to not let a little thing like that hinder her. She saw them all together, princes of the evergreens left alone in their kingdom. She wondered - not for the first time - how it was that Rannoch had come back to them. Where had he gone? Why? She'd never exactly been told what had happened to the three brothers during their childhood, only bits and pieces here and there coming slowly together to form the whole picture.

"Well, for what it's worth, I'm glad you guys are here," Liffey commented softly, considering her own circumstances while guilt broiled in her chest. Her situation was different of course, but one particular difference was more painful than the others - she was the one who had done the leaving. "You've given a lot of people a second chance at having a home and family. Myself included. That's really something, you know."

Rian wasn't prone to oversharing. In fact, he wasn't usually fond of sharing much at all about his personal life. He didn't want anyone to think he was bemoaning about his woes, or start comparing his struggles to Rannoch and Cypress', He'd lost his father, sure, and his remaining family was distant at best, but at least they hadn't been murdered. But he assumed Rannoch had told her some of his history since it wasn't exactly confidential information. Still, she didn't ask for further elaboration, and he was quietly grateful for it. It was hard enough to talk about—Rian, especially, hadn't squared with his personal demons yet. 

But her honest affirmation of their cause caught him off guard and it reflected in the missed beat of his stride. He was quick to collect himself again, but his tail drooped and his ears hovered somewhere in the middle of curious and unsure. "I—" It was something he hadn't considered. This whole time he'd been mostly concerned with Rannoch and Cypress' well-being; a pack just cemented that. He didn't realize that this new beginning wasn't just for them, it was for all of them. 

Everyone had their problems. Maybe they were the solution.

"I didn't realize how important this was to you and everyone." he replied with a tone much softer than before. His jade-cast eyes were almost dazed by the overwhelming realization. He was so used to loyalty being a fickle thing that it never occured to him that Rannoch had amassed an actual following.

Liffey had thought very little of her words. Yes, it was a profound thing what the Frostfurs had begun here and she would always be immensely grateful to them for it. But, for Liffey it was just so... obvious. Not inconsequential per se, but common enough knowledge that ithere as no reason for her to hesitate voicing it.

Which is why she looked at her friend with confusion upon her face when first he paused. She looked at him, concerned, until he began speaking and understanding came upon her. She smiled fondly at Rian, finding his astounded acknowledgment endearing enough to inspire her to reach out and nudge his cheek. She wasn't sure what to tell him - downplay it so he wouldn't feel as overwhelmed as he kind of looked? Shower him in gratitude that would overwhelm him even more? Liffey opted for something more subtle, tension-breaking.

"Surprise," she said, smiling gently.

The gentle touch upon his cheek—the depression of soft strands of his own fur that kissed the sudden warmth of his skin broke him from the daze that had overtaken his mind. But Rian was very unused to being touched in such a casual way. So no sooner did she pull away did he exhale the breath he'd been holding and flatten his ears against the sodden tufts of his usually shaggy mane. He hoped she wouldn't attribute his sigh to the flare of discomfort from her sudden intrusion into his personal space, and instead to the overwhelming realization that he was something of a leader to the ragtag group.

Rian blinked away the rain that was collecting on his upper lids and chuckled airily, "Yeah." In another place and time, Rian might have taken a special shine to Liffey's gentle, but firm, personality. She was a bright little beam of light in their uncertain world, but it was something he could only appreciate from afar. It was not his place to covet it despite the odd protective streak he felt towards the females of the pack.

The sienna-cloaked Frostfur was quiet for a time as they continued walking, until he decided to commit some of his thoughts to words. "Maybe this is selfish of me, but I hope wherever we all end up isn't too small for you." he remarked, alluding to his worries that all of this would result in the brothers being back at square one: alone, and nothing to show for it but some soured memories.

The signs of Rian's discomfort did not go unnoticed by the young Blackthorn. She sucked in a breath as guilt swam through her. Anxious as she was, she tried to move away gently so as not to bring further attention to the innocent faux pas. His gentle laughter helped the effort, and soon enough she found herself relaxing back into his company - a little wiser about how to interact appropriately with him than before. Which isn't to say she wouldn't try again to touch him in the future - They were wolves, and physical contact was their way - but she would be more mindful of his feelings as they grew closer as packmates.

"Maybe this is overly confident of me," Liffey retorted, her demure smile resuming its place upon her muzzle as the awkward moment passed, "But I'm sure I'll fit just fine anywhere that you guys do."

It wasn't to say Rian didn't thirst for the attention that his other pack mates seemed so comfortable with; the casual caress of noses against ruffs, or the affirming shoulder-to-shoulder brush that Cypress and him shared. With his brothers, it was different. It was familiar. But Liffey was new to him in more ways than one, and that frustrated him. Rannoch spoke highly of her, and even Cypress seemed to like her, so he had little reason to be disquieted by her friendly affections. But he was through no fault of her own. For reasons he could not properly articulate. 

He was glad when she showed no signs of being offended, and even backed away slowly. If she was repulsed by his reaction, she was good at hiding it. He drew a small comfort from that, and more from what she said next. Her clever twist of his own commentary elicited a smile to form on his own lips, and he waved his tail in a surprisingly energetic arc. "I think so, too. You get it—the thing. The reasons for this." He admitted candidly. "and, well, four is a nice even number."

Wanna wrap this one up? :)

It felt good to get another smile from Rian. With all of her new packmates, it would take some getting used to being and interacting with them all. Her entire life had been spent surrounded by family, and now was without a single one of them. It was strange and nerve-wracking, but also exciting. Liffey looked forward to making a new family here, and she was feeling quite confident that she'd made some great strides here today with Rannoch's brother.

His comment made heat rise to her cheeks, but she did appreciate how forthcoming he was about it. Liffey could only nod her agreement and add a laugh at the end when he revealed his preference for even numbers. Lightning flashed brilliantly overhead as a sudden wind dropped the temperature noticeably. Liffey shivered  and glanced skyward. "I believe that chill in the air means we've got a pretty decent storm about to break loose," she said, the hair along her spine prickling as another breath of wind swept past, "I'm going to head back to the others, I think. You coming?"

Rian declined politely, but Liffey wasn't bothered. She offered him a smile and a dip of her muzzle as a farewell and turned to head back to the pack, the sound of thunder echoing in her footsteps.