Swiftcurrent Creek I don't like to fight, but i ain't afraid to bleed.

@Elijah

Dawn rose on dewy chilly morning, as the auburn male laying out in the open rose to his full size. The sunshine glittered off the dew drops that clung to his fur, and sliced across the scar that he held across his eye. Cutting deep green grief filled eyes, against the sun’s onslaught. He lifted black nose into the air and sniffed once twice, his whiskers trembling as he caught scent of the new morning.

Shaking from shoulders to toe, the drops fell off of his pelt like rain falling down to kiss the ground with their essence. He stretched his large brawny shoulders forward and arched his back, his legs cracking and his joints popping as he shifted, from the years of war and famine and everything else he had gone through.

As the sunlight peeked over the gray clouds he was reminded of Kiva. Kiva of the moor, with deep blue eyes and a soft love filled gaze as she looked at him. A melodically voice that could charm the birds from the trees just for him. Fur as gray as gooses down, gods he missed her, everything about her. He had not been able to save her, but he would save them here and now, he would make up for it. He shifted his large paws and strode forward purpose in his step. He was going to watch the borders; he would keep those enemies any and all from the borders. He didn’t know much about this whole thing, but he did know that he was there to protect so protect is what he would do.

He strode with purpose towards the pack borders, wisdom and fierceness in his green gaze, sharp and clear as the grief that he wore like a second skin. It surrounded him like a shroud. His grief was old now, but it was no less heavy and the guilt that came with it was ever present as well. He could have saved Kiva if he had fought harder, or had been stronger, and maybe just maybe he should have continued to fight instead of lying on the ground in blood when they finally beat him to the ground. Maybe if he had died, this wouldn't hurt so much, and he would have Kiva again.

Takes place before Eli & Shadow take off on their trip! :D Lemme know if you'd prefer I not use tables and I'll remove it if so <3

Morning. Birds sounded off one after the other – singing and alerting the whole neighborhood that the sun had risen for the day. It was time to get up. Granted, Eli had been up for quite some time. He'd just laid around underneath the comforts of a tree and nestled in a bush – grumbling about the wet dew that had dampened his agouti coat. It felt heavier than usual thanks to that. Dark tipped ears pulled back, tail gave a sway as he climbed to his paws. Stray leaves stuck to his coat with a few twigs grazing the edges of his skin. Eli gave a mighty shake the moment he was free from his little cocoon, sending droplets of water everywhere in his wake.
He sniffled, a yawn parting his lips with eyes closing briefly before he shrugged his shoulders. The man had to decide what he wanted to do this morning. Perhaps he could go hunting... nah. Eli didn't feel that energetic. Odd but he was always a grumpy one whenever he woke up, like he had to have a jolt or something that was truly interesting to wake him up. And once he got it, the Pi was usually bouncing off the walls, full of too much energy that he didn't know what to do with. He tended to try putting it to good use – and to Eli, wrestling with someone in the mud was a good use... since it made them happy and him happy.
But for now, he glanced towards the borders. A patrol. It wasn't often that a wolf was stupid enough to trespass on a pack's territory, yet if someone did, it would certainly send a shock of adrenaline through his veins.
Eli set off, trotting in the direction of the nearest border when something fluttered in front of him. Head tilted, blue eyes widening as he ceased his movements. He searched around for the movement until he found it again. Ears perked forward, staring at the bug with the focus of an experienced racehorse. Quietly he stepped forward, watching the bug's movements until he was abruptly on a goose chase. Figures he'd find himself too “tired” to go on a normal hunt, but chasing bugs was totally reasonable. He charged on, large paws hitting the ground with the grace of a clumsy moose until something in the corner of his vision subconsciously became aware of him.
By the time he realized that he was basically charging right into someone, it'd been a touch too late for him to stop fully. To credit him, however, he did start to pull on his brakes.

TABLE BY JOHN · STOCK BY KATI H. @ DAWNTHIEVES

Not at all I love tables I just don't have one for Kieran yet, because i can't make them :D


Kieran had not heard the birds singing at first. He heard them now however as he traversed the borders. Their trilling and singing, made his heart sore. Kiva could spend hours singing back at the birds. Her voice as beautiful as theirs and when they blended together it had made his heart dance with joy, and a merry twinkle in his eye. But even the twinkle was gone now, the twinkle and the joy, they were no more. Kieran did not mind the wet dew on his fur as much as most, he actually enjoyed it. Made him feel alive in the morning as the cold dew would burn down his sides as it ran in rivelets, the coldness a stark contrast to his warm body heat.

Kieran was a morning wolf, he enjoyed mornings and late nights. It was just the way of things, once upon a time he would have howled to the heavens his happiness at waking up in the morning. Now he saw it merely as a burden, to wake up. He would much rather not wake up, but he was existing and he would continue to do so, until the gods saw fit to take him home. He hoped at the time he would see his Kiva and that he would die in battle.

Kieran saw an agouti coat coming towards him at a shuffle born from clumsy blindness. As whoever it was before him trundled on without looking, he was to close and to lost in his own thoughts for the Irish man to say a word so he side stepped at the same time that the other male back pedaled. A huff of exasperated laughter escaped his lips and he spoke, " Waaat are ye at me fella? almost ran me over."