The Sunspire i'd wake up all alone

@Rannoch

although she did not want to have this discussion, seabreeze knew that she needed to find rannoch.

she had always been such a good and obedient packmate, doing her duties without hesitation and always seeking to learn more about her trade.  and then she went and screwed it all up.  she did not regret her tryst with the dark-furred beta, but perhaps she would once rannoch had given his verdict.

she would not call for him.  instead, she wanted to find him casually, so she sought after his scent trail.

Despite his fatigue, Rannoch found himself on Sunspire's parameters. The events of the previous day had set the young Alpha on edge, and he wanted to make sure that Sunspire was well-protected from any trespassers. 

Currently, Rannoch was focused on a scent along the north-western border. Rannoch was hunched over a pile of fresh moose feces, and he sniffed at the pile hesitantly. Although he had smelt moose before, he couldn't comprehend how it had made its dung smell so foul. With his nostrils flared, Rannoch pulled his head back from the pile with a look of disgust on his face. 

In a spur-of-the-moment decision, Rannoch moved to position one of his hind legs over the pile and peed. Surely it'd smell better with his scent on it, right?

she found him where she suspected she would, working dutifully at the borders.  she had accompanied him on this so many times in northstar vale (and she supposed, enough time with terance here at sunspire) that she could probably go for guardian herself.  the thought caused a fit of inappropriate giggles to rise up her throat and she cut them off quickly.  she had screwed up, ha-ha!

now was no time for jokes.  she approached him swiftly and with a chuff, moving to his side as he finishes urinating.  got a minute?

As Rannoch spotted Seabreeze, he quickly lowered his leg and offered his friend a smile— he had not anticipated seeing her out and about on the borders. But, even with her unexpected presence, Rannoch did not suspect that anything was amiss. "Of course," he replied with a wave of his tail, "What's up?"

she lowered herself immediately, her gaze ducking to her toes as they shifted in the snow beneath her.  her tail tucked and wagged anxiously, and her ears slid back.  her deference was almost over the top for how friendly they were, and she chastised herself.

she was no longer perfect little seabreeze.  maybe she never had been.  but now it was an image she could not attain.  it's serious, she insisted.  she did not want to worry him, but she wanted to make sure he was ready for everything she was about to spill on him.

i — terance — he tried to take me to liffey to keep me safe.  i'm sorry.  we — well, you know..  she would not cry.  she would not cry.  she would not cry.

and i hate it, and i'm sorry.  but it doesn't have to be a big deal if you don't want it to be.  i could — there are herbs.  we don't even know if there would be any..  often it took more than one copulation but there were always the stories of that one whore who got knocked up on the first go-round.  please.  i know what i've taken from you and liffey.  i just need to know if i need to find somewhere else to go.

she was a mess, trembling and crying before him, fully expecting him to do.. something.  to hurt her, to send her away.  little seabreeze, always needing care.  little brienne, always getting herself into trouble.

The situation escalated quickly; although concern quickly overcame him, Rannoch didn’t show it. Instead he listened, and soon found himself surprised by the spoken implications.

As Seabreeze began to openly weep, Rannoch poked his snout to her check in an attempt to calm her fears. “Hey, it’s alright,” he assured her. ”It’s going to be alright.” 

Rannoch wasn’t upset, and although he knew that mating usually required permission, he knew that he wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he forced her to take the herbs.

something sick welled up in her that scared her.  it was relief.

if she were a lesser wolf she would have manipulated him, and she was tempted to.  she could feel it inside of her, wishing to twist him around her finger and play on his giving nature.

but she didn't dare.  she was better than that.  she just said what came naturally.  thank you — was all she could choke out.

but he still hadn't promised her the lives of the children that may or may not exist.  how desperately she wanted to be a mother!  but it wasn't supposed to be here, and it wasn't supposed to be with him.

you don't have to give me an answer now, i know you need to talk to liffey.  liffey!  what's she going to think of me?

which brought on a fresh round of weeping.  wraen, too.  terance's sister he super wanted her to get on with.  "oh hey, how are you?  i'm seabreeze, and i fucked your brother once!"  it would loom over their interactions henceforth, she just knew it.

Rannoch coudn’t even begin to imagine what Seabreeze was going through. He moved closer, and pressed his shoulder to hers and hoped the gesture would help her calm down.

When she spoke again, Rannoch nodded. ”I can’t really give you a definate answer until I talk to Liffey,” he said, ”And I can not guarantee anything but, I will do everything I can to make sure that your children will be born at Sunspire.” 

At her concern, Rannoch shook his head. ”It’ll be fine. I can’t see her being too mad.”

she met his gaze (carefully; not in defiance) with fearful and watery eyes.  i know.  i understand.

his touch grounded her and that made her shy away in confusion and fear.  was it wrong to take comfort in a friend?  she wasn't so sure anymore.

all she wanted was to be alone.  just.. let me know, okay?  and so long as he didn't suffer her through more conversation, she'd bound off away from sunspire for a while — she needed air.

”Of course. I’ll let you know as soon as I know,” he assured her. Rannoch would make this a priority, and he anticipated that he’d have an answer within the next few days. 

”Is there anything else you want to talk about? he asked.

no, she clipped, clearly thankful for his influence but unable to process.  thank you.

she started down the mountain and, with a forlorn glance back at her alpha, she hoped desperately for a positive outcome.

Rannoch modded; he had done what he could for now. 

As Seabreeze walked away, Rannoch watched her. It was only when she was out of sight that he resumed his investigation of  the fecal matter.