Dragoncrest Cliffs could you be mine forever just in case it exists?

For anyone welcome in Hougeda! @Dio, @Eske, @Portia, @Dalia, @Sirio. In-post tags for reference but you are also welcome. <3

Last night, Thuringwethil spends her first night in Hougeda since she’d fallen ill. It had been comforting to have Blixen, @Artaax, and @Bobby curled up close. For several days, worried about her children catching it, she’d made sure they stayed away while withered away from everyone else. The muscles in her face had sunken in, craters above her eyes and her waist has thinned much more than is healthy. Her ribs show and the thin layer of skin quivers with each breath. Having her children close to her has helped regulate her body heat, keeping her warm in the depths of Hougeda with the rest of her wolves not too far away.

The only thing missing is the other half of her heart.

Time has been difficult to grasp for the last several days but she has been able to gather how long it has been since Wildfire and Arlo left for her family’s pack. She hesitates to worry, especially in the face of their children. Wildfire is a skilled scout and knows her way around and Arlo is a capable guardian and warrior but she knows she cannot hide their absence forever.

Her mind rolls over those in Drageda that may know where Redhack Caldera as she basks in the few moments she has before she forces her weakened form to stand. The boys are not there when she sits herself upright, glancing around the cavern to see if they are nearby, but she finds them absent. Blixen is still tucked into herself not far from where she sleeps and she reaches over, touching her warm nose against the back of her head. She stirs and smiles and then wags her tail, unfurling her growing form to greet her. There’s a brief exchange of a morning greeting before her daughter bounces away and out of the cavern, greeting the day to her typical daily duties. She has encouraged them to go about their lives, occupying their time with something other than worry.

Thuringwethil takes the moment of solitude, stretching out her front legs. Her toes splay out wide and she yawns, and then stretches the rest before she’s able to put her legs beneath her. Her energy and speed has increased since the day before but she is far from healthy but the ease is noted and appreciated, certain she is on the upswing to restoring her full strength.

short post is short.:c

Eske finishes up her round of patrols, giving a languid stretch before she ventures in towards the heart of the territory. Though she makes a habit of checking in on her Commander daily ( sometimes sneaking in a peek more than once ) she is not sure how well she will or will not be when she makes her visits and as she comes across the scent of a groundhog pauses and gives chase with the hopes of catching it for Heda. In the end, her hunt is unsuccessful and she suffers a scratch where it’s claws knicked her across the bridge of her muzzle. It smarts but not near as half as her humiliation does and she lets out a low huff as she leaves the little bastard where he’s dove into his burrow underground. She has better things to do than to wait around for him to come back out and so she abandons the hunt and ventures to the place where Thuringwethil was recovering, surprised to smell a recent trail back to the Hougeda. Eske’s pace is quick, set with purpose as she makes her way there, instead, and pokes her head in. “Heda?” She calls in quietly, careful not to wake any pups that may yet be sleeping, her excitement a palpable tremor upon her voice hoping that her Commander is recovering ( though this seems to be the logical conclusion as Eske does not think she would risk the lives of her children by seeing them when she is contagious or too ill to do so ).

Once Thuringwethil has stretched out her tired limbs, and given her fur a shake (with a dramatic stumble that almost resulted in her falling to the cavern floor), the urge for relief takes over. It would be easy to use the patch close to the opening, where the water collects from the lake but she decides against it and works on the uphill battle out of the cavern.

When she returns, she notes the strong scent of Eske passing through but does not see the young woman until, on her way back in from the private beach she hears the call of her title. Her ears sweep forward and she wags her tail loosely behind her, not realizing she doesn’t quite have the energy to keep it flagged. The smell of blood, however faint, catches her nose and she takes a few slow steps to meet the fleimkepa. “Eske,” she says quietly, raspy. A lack of use over the last week or so has put a damper on it but is has improved after speaking to her children a little.

Thuringwethil blinks a little and tries to stifle a yawn, but she steps close once to note the scratch on her nose and softly, she lets her tongue wash over the girl’s nose in a motherly fashion. She cannot use her energy properly serving Drageda as Heda but at least she can make what little effort one-on-one until her energy and stretch has been restored.

wOW Bobby actually caught Nomi something! -> here!

Bobby knew his Nomi was sick and he didn't like it. Not only did he not like her being sick, but he also didn't like the fact that his mom was gone for so long. Where was she? Still exploring, hopefully on her way home. He wished there were some way he could tell her about her sick mate, to make her come back, but he knew only time would bring her back to them. He was no healer, so he couldn't make his Nomi better like maybe Portia could, but he could hunt for her.

So that was what he did, he followed a squirrel, (he liked to think it was the same squirrel he'd tracked that one day), and chased it towards the lake. It was dumb enough not to hop up in a tree when it had the chance, and when it paused for a second to look around, Bobby was on top of it. He smacked it's tail with his paw and trapped it. Then he grabbed its neck in his mouth and killed it swiftly. This was perhaps the best catch he'd ever made, and so with pride he hurried back to Hougeda.

When he arrived, Eske was already there, making one of her daily check ups. Bobby had always liked Eske, he still thought he was super pretty. So with his chest puffed out, and the squirrel clamped tight, the black furred pup marched towards Nomi and laid it at her feet. Nomi, look! I got 'im! He said, nuzzling into her side affectionately. He then turned to smile at Eske. Hei, shopta? He said to her with a nod.

Emotion wells in Eske’s throat as the Commander greets her in a raspy tone and moves closer to swipe her tongue over her wound. It is a touching gesture and it draws surprise in Eske’s breast but she appreciates it all the same, even as she feels a creep of humiliation at the fact that the groundhog had given her a wound in the first place. “You look better,” Eske observes and offers Heda a soft smile. “I am glad.” The warrior admits thickly against that darned lump of emotion that has taken to lodge in her throat. Eske assumes it is safe to say that the worst of her illness is over and that she’s on the road to recovery but she hinders on the fence unwilling to allow herself blind optimism. She is pragmatic and she knows nothing about medicines, about illnesses; thus Eske has no idea how to tell if it is better means better or better like the eye of the storm: a brief lull of deception before it comes back in full force. She certainly hopes it is the first and thinks she might seek out Portia for a professional opinion later. To soothe the stubborn and remaining vestiges of her worry.

Eske parts her lips to speak when Bobby approaches laying a squirrel at Heda’s feet. Eske watches with softened eyes as the boy rubs himself against her with affection and in a rare moment the private moment between Nomi and son makes her miss Gyda with a sudden and fierce longing. “Hello Bobby,” Eske greets him. “ai kik raun. shopta?” She responds and returns the question in turn.

"I feel better," she says though she realizes it is partially a lie. Holed up in the cave where she's given seclusion, she spent more time asleep than anything. When asleep, she didn't suffer. She didn't feel woozy or nauseated or lost. Now, on the mend, she's found more energy but it only lasts a little while. What little she's exerted this morning feels close to expiring but it's a matter of time before this is forgotten entirely. It is not often she's had to give up the reigns for any extended period of time but she's thankful she's had the support system to have that option.

After a moment, Robin drops into the cavern and she slowly turns to find the squirrel at her feet and the affection of her son. Thuringwethil drops her head and whispers him words of encouragement at catching the rodent but she falls silent as the other two greet and exchange a few words with one another. In the meantime, she tugs the prey closer into her possession but she does it yet eat her gift of breakfast.

Bobby replies to her inquiry and mentions something that Eske pays partial attention to — point of fact she misses what he says all together — before he darts off and she is left alone with Heda. Eske watches her Commander pull the meal her son has offered her closer but does not move to eat it and the warrior princess’ eyes narrow slightly. It’s not a detail that Eske fails to notice. “I’m sure you’ve been told this time and time again,” more than likely by Portia. “but you should try to eat something.” Eske’s not trying to be a micro-manager …it just possibly comes out sounding that way. And her voiced opinion is borne out of her genuine concern for Thuringwethil. She does not apologize for her ( probably repetitive ) advice because she truly does want to see the Commander get better. “Real talk though, Heda, how are you doing?” Bobby was gone and there was no pressure to keep up pretenses for Eske …the Drakru rather thought that Gyda would have made her concerns vocal too. More and more she finds herself both vastly different from her mother but also emulating her whether it’s intentional or not.

The interaction between Robin and Eske is short and a quick glance the present fleimkepa doesn’t notice is offered, sending the boy out of the cavern with a newfound speed. Still, Eske continues on about her health while she looks down to the kill, moving it to the section of the cavern she has claimed for herself. “I am fine,” she says quickly, “do not concern yourself with this.” Thuringwethil licks her lips once, settling her posture even if it no longer holds the impressiveness it once held. It will take time for her strength and stamina to return.

“How are things in the rest of the pack?” she asks, ears cupped forward. She’ll need to get back into the role of leading sooner rather than later, knowing she cannot leave her wolves without their commander for too long.

Eske gives her the rundown of what she’s missed but she isn’t ready to step up yet in full force, and later dismisses the woman while she returns to spending time with Robin.