The Sentinels Day dreamer more elegantly spelled

@Sunny - I promised this like ages ago. So sorry for the wait!

Maia would be upset, if she found out that Wraen had gone on a little adventure on her own, under pretence of a long hunting trip. But even for all the love the elder sibling had for her sister, she needed her occasional alone moments. To think things through, but more often to clear her mind and enjoy the silence, when ideas and thoughts were not buzzing there like bees. 

This time her journey had brought her back to The Sentinels - the place she had been born at and which she had promised to her sister that they would visit it one day. She did not enter the destroyed forest itself, choosing rather to walk down to the familiar beach. Place of her first conscious memories - Osprey teaching her to scavenge at a time when her mother had seemed like a giant and the rest of the world as well.

Time had not left any lasting traces there - it looked the same as she remembered it and standing there, with her face turned to the vast ocean and the distant horizon and eyes closed, she could recall the ghosts of the past. And any moment - it seemed - she would be young and small again and the former Donnelaith wolves would surround her. Just like all those years ago.

He felt like he couldn't breathe. Lily and Aliac gone, three kids to raise as a single father and now he'd been appointed Satori of Elysium. He was grateful for the support and trust of everyone around him and he knew he wasn't alone in loss but he felt alone in life for the moment. So he snuck away when the kids were sound asleep and wandered for hours finally finding himself along the coast. Everything was vaguely familiar and he found himself aching deeply for his sister or for Aunt Seelie. Someone he hadn't seen enough in life who always left him feeling positive. Then as if by magic he caught a flash of movement and spotted her off in the distance. It was like he knew somewhere inside who it was and he smiled, silently sneaking in at an angle, playfully stalking her and as soon as he had confirmed it for certain calling "Wraen!" his eyes already a spark brighter.b

Fate would have it that Wraen met Sunny every few months and only then, when his life was in utter turmoil. Once again - she would tell Maia, when she would return home after this meeting. Funny, how gods pull their strings, make things happen and two people, who lived valleys apart, meet. 

She had not expected to find anyone here and therefore she was startled initially, when Sunny broke in that circle of quiet space around her. Wraen stared at him, a little baffled, trying to place the image of his face against the long list of people she had met in her life, but the recognition was not far away. "Well, you are a ghost I did not expect to meet here," she returned his greeting. "What brings you here, Sunny?"

When he said the small period of confusion he understood and realised just how long it had been since he'd seen her. The last time had been a bad one, hed been emotional. In fact....every time had been. He swallowed back the truth and instead smiled "Hunting. Elysium has many children to feed...also I wanted quiet" he said sheepishly and then chuckled as he realised he had been the one to ruin the silence. "What about you?" he asked curiously.

"You are quite far from Elysium unless you relocated, of course," Wraen remarked, wondering, whether the hunting was just an excuse for him to be away from kids for days. Just as hunting had been a "reason" to come all the way here.

"I know, what that means. Firbird nest is full of hatchlings this year as well," she shared, though - funnily enough - it was not nearly as hard taking care of them than it had been last year in the mountains. The number of children was the same and yet... yet... it was different. Better. Easier.

"When you speak of children at your pack - do you speak about them in general or do you have your own this year as well?" she asked, curious, what new challenges or adventures had life thrown in her friend's way.

He cracked a smile as she confessed her pack also had a bunch of pups this year, something that lightened his spirits a bit. It was a good sign that so much new life had sprouted this year. Then Lily and Aliac flashed into his mind and a pained look came into his eyes as Wraen pushed, making it hard for him to conceal very much except words. "Both. I have three" he answered as openly as he could manage without threatening to release the pain. "What about you? Any kids? Any suitors?" he asked his tone suggestive, though more teasing and playful rather than flirtatious (though there was that too). He hoped perhaps that would be enough to sway the conversation elsewhere.

"Congratulations. What is the gender proportion and the royal names?" Wraen managed to squeeze more questions for Sunny to ruminate on, while she came up with feasible answers herself.
"Not this year - no - but I get my share of babysitting and child-rearing without the discomfort of pregnancy and pains of childbirth," she mused. And, while a month ago the need to do something about her single status had been on top of her list, now she enjoyed being an aunt to the Blackthorn-bunch. "I can spoil them rotten and take no responsibility for it. And parents have to deal with the consequences," she grinned.

He was glad when the conversation  stuck to children and cracked a smile at her preference to just watch and play with them rather than experience his own. He had thought that way too until he began to fall for Aliac, then every pup he saw made him ache in a yearning way. "two boys and one girl. Valiant, Aeryn and Minnow" he said and sat down, hoping to continue the conversation for at least a little while more. "I never wanted any either until I found someone I loved" his voice cracked a bit and he clenched his jaws shut tightly, trying to keep a reign on the sudden overwhelming wave of sadness. He had loved so much and only ever lost...He would not lose his children either. Perhaps staying away from others, at least emotionally would be the safer option. "So um...Where's this firebird pack you're with now?" he asked trying to give himself other things to think about.

"Valiant is a beautiful name - you will have to introduce me to them, when they are older," Wraen said, feeling a little odd (but not in a unfamiliar way) that yet another person, who was from the same generation as her, was already with a wife and kids. And she had remained the same as year before and one even before that. This was not a new thought and she did not dwell on it for too long. 

It seemed that Sunny was not very inclined to disclose anything else on the matter and Wraen did not press him, happy to change the subject, when he asked about her new home. "It's on the other side of this mountain range," she beckoned to the Moonspear's spire visible in the distance and the line of forest, which drew a border of Tuktu Hinterlands.

"A nice forest. The pack was founded by my cousin on my mother's side. We happened to run into each other in winter - I was in dire need of a home to recover and she was in need of people to claim lands," she told the short version of the story, how she had met Wildfire. "We recently lost her to an illness, and her mother-in-law's brother Colt Blackthorn stepped up to lead. What's new in Elysium? They are led by two of former Sunspire wolves. Do Seabreeze and Olive sound familiar?"

"I will" he said and fell silent, focusing on her words as she took the reigns of the conversation. She told the story of how she'd met up with family and joined for mutual benefit only to lose the woman after reuniting. His eyes softened sympathetically and he murmured his condolences with genuine sadness. She went on to ask what was new in Elysium, asking if he knew Seabreeze and Olive who were members of her old pack. "Yes. They're mates. Recently Olive had pups" he said though he didn't sound happy as was the normal. "A bear attacked. Killed my sister in law. Killed Olive and Seabreeze's new wife. Lots of kids without one parent. Lots of heartbreak. Aliac is dead as well" he couldn't be sure but he felt it, deep inside his heart. Despite how sad he sounded he didn't droop with it like always. He was Satori now and it wouldn't do to go around spreading rumors of Elysium being weakened. "Despite this we're coping. We will help one another through the pain. I've stepped up to fill in for Lily as a leader and Cortez is leading in Olive's place as she has stepped down" 

The fact that Seabreeze and Olive had "crushed" their bones together did not surprise Wraen as much as the fact that the latter had had puppies. How? Was the first question that had come to her mind and a split of second later, did it occur to her that these matters could be simply arranged with some help from outside. After all it had not been Olive's first rodeo, had it?

The next piece of news - tragic, yes - surprised her even more. Because now there were three wives instead of two and an unnamed male (males), who had sired the puppies. One happy, polyamorous family, it seems - thus thought Wraen's cohabitting alter ego, who had an acidic sense of humour, was sarcastic in general and had not restraints at making inappropriate and rude remarks insidd her head. Sometimes.

"That is a lot to take for a newly appointed king," Wraen said sympathetically. "And now you are here to take a break," were they in a bar, she would have bought him a glass of whiskey and they would have drunk for the way fate could eff up lives. "What do you want to do to take your mind off stuff?" she asked. "Have you done anything already that has helped?" she teased him.

She understood his escape and he relaxed, so glad that fate had drawn them together again. He felt a surge of warmth and the faintest sense that there had to be some reason they kept meeting at these times. That mixed with the fact that the questions she asked came across to poor hormonal Sunny who had done awkward first time sex and nothing else and....that he found her attracted well....it made him a bit forward. "I want to do things I didn't and couldn't do with her" he said being vague and flashing a lopsided grin as he shook his head "I have once..but it wasn't what I needed then" he stated. He hadn't been so emotionally screwed then, he didn't need to sleep so badly then. He wasn't sure if she would get what he was hinting at.

Wraen was a little slow to understand, what Sunny was getting at, but, when she did, her expression was baffled and... What the damn hell? -look on her was priceless. Insert cricket sound, while her mind was reeling to find a proper answer to her friend's (honestly, at the moment she was not all that sure, where they stood) proposition for... geez... she could not call it out loud in her mind. 

"So... this is, what you do for fun now?" she asked, trying to make a joke out of it, but it fell flat. Wraen felt very awkward.

It was dumb and he knew it. The silence was crushing and he ended up just snorting and cracking a grin shrugging helplessly. He gave her a weak smile " It feels good. It distracts me. It helps me relax...And no it's not..like a hobby. Only one time" he tried to explain and fell short his ears flicking back as he dropped his gaze.  "I'm sorry that was probably weird I've never really even mentioned sex  with anyone. Not even Aliac." oh god was there something wrong with mentioning the word? He cringed and all fight or flight systems in his brain slowly began to shift toward flight.

Wraen used to swap stories of her doings and adventures of her day with Maia, and this had seemed just a good candidate in the beginning. However, just like Eddie the Eagle the conversation had reached the peak of the ski-jumping slope (proposition of sex) and now with him explaining, how this particular experience helped him to deal with stress, it was going downhill very, very quickly. Watch out - it might even become the record jump of the Winter Olympics 1988!

"Weird is a weak word for, what this is," Wraen concluded mercilessly. "It's good and great, normal and natural that you enjoy coitus, but - what are you aiming at by telling this to me? 'cause at this moment I feel like a tool that's meant for your own pleasure. And that's not right."

The conversation slipped even farther downhill as she asked him why he had told her and then said he was making her feel used. He had definitely somehow expected this to go better, poor kid had no idea how to handle women. He stared at her his brain slowly processing how he had come across and his mouth dropped open "That was awful I'm so sorry...I made it sound so gross" he said sounding thoroughly mortified and averting his gaze. He nearly laughed about how she said he enjoyed sex...He shook his head slowly and found himself unable to formulate any words through his shame. "I didnt think before I spoke I'm sorry Wraen, I wouldn't do that to you" he paused and then groaned "I mean use you. I shouldn't have said that at all. I think I'm losing my mind" he admitted. If he were human he'd probably lose himself in the bottle or turn to drugs as that was what he was starting to do with sex. "Everyone I care for has left or died, except for my sister and my kids now and I don't know how to figure out the mess of this grief alone" perhaps she would understand that more, or perhaps not but either way he turned to go not wanting to annoy her or gross her out any further. "I'll go back to Elysium now. Have a better night Wraen" he said and began to walk away. 

Ty for the horribly awkward thread that probably saved my boy from being gross xD I don't know if you wanna continue or fade?

"You are crazy," Wraen muttered under her breath and for a moment she was happy to let Sunny leave and never see this guy again, but her good heart got better of her. She was moved by his outburst and, though she felt that she will regret it later, she sighed, got to her feet and caught up with the guy.

"Keep a good grip on, what you have got, and - please - do not try to bowl your friends over - that won't solve your problems the least," she told him in a lighter tone with a tint of humour in it. "Walking away won't either," Wraen added, walking side by side him. If he had come all this way, she might as well keep him company for a bit or until he made a fool of himself again.

Let's keep it going. They meet once a year anyway. :D

Her response shook him almost like a good meaningful scolding would and be paused and processed it. She was right...what was he doing? Was he nuts? He had three young children to raise, a sister nearby with children soon born and he knew if he tried slowly he could bond with Aditya again. He blinked as the haze of sadness lifted and was replaced with shame and a determination that placed some fierceness into his eyes brightening them. As she came up beside him he offered her a smile  "Wow Wraen that really helped, seriously" he playfully bumped her with a shoulder "So much wisdom and you're not that much older than I am" he teased her and then motioned ahead of them silently asking if she wanted to walk as a more sober look came over his face "Makes me wonder how old of a soul you are. My...father once told me that we get reborn into new bodies with different lives...it's interesting if you want to hear about it?" he offered her as an out of the weird awkward conversation into more of an intellectual, up in the clouds one.

Wraen did not sense sarcasm in Sunny's words, because she had not said anything helpful at all. But - on the other hand - it could be so that the guy was at such a low point in his life that even a grass stalk looked like a bouquette of beautiful flowers to him. Go figure.

"I will give you another helpful tip," she grinned. "Never tell a girl that she is old in any way - physically or soul-relatedly - if you want to get anywhere," there was a suggestive undertone, as she said this, but she did not feel merciful today. He did deserve good ragging. "Though - thank you for your compliment, if that is the only one I am going to hear from you today," she added.

"Speaking of that reincarnation - what did your father tell you about it?" she moved the conversation back on track again.

Her grin lifted his spirits as they walked side by side and he gave her a curious look, genuinely eager to hear what advice she had to give since he knew he wasnt bright and could use all the help he could get now. When the advice turned out to be a jest he snorted, chuckling and shook his head. "Ever since I was a pup i've always said women were beautiful. Even women triple my age. Age isn't ugly, in fact I think it makes someone even more attractive to know they've been through a lot and learned from it" he said this softly, the mood changing into a more serious but not sad one. 


His expression brightened as she asked more about Reincarnation and he offered her a sheepish smile "Not much. Only that when we die, we get reborn but we always find the same people. For example when I die I could be reborn as your son, or the son of one of my children, or even someone unrelated but who becomes special in a way" he sounded thoughtful and somewhat grossed out "Kinda weird to imagine my dad inside one of me or Dawn's kids" he said muzzle wrinkling as he flashed her a look filled with humor to show he was kidding. Sort of.

"Someone has kissed the Blarney stone," Wraen made fun of Sunny in a playful way. He sounded too good to be true, but she could not decipher, whether he was attempting to impress her more or whether he really meant everything he had said. "Tell you what - another advice and for free too," she told him. "You keep that knowledge to yourself. If you want to make a move on a girl, you do not tell her she is beautiful and then add that you have told every woman you have met the very same thing," she explained. "You do not tell her outright that she is the only handsome creature you have seen among thousands of ugly faces either. That does not tell anything good about you either. Tread the middle ground - give her a feeling that she is one of a kind and special." Tricky gender those females were - Wraen thought this and smiled.

He blinked as she teased him and then went on to explain where he had went wrong. It sounded complicated, up until she said he should make a woman feel special. He thought back on his interactions with women, with Aliac, and realised he hadn't ever done that. He had never really ever given a compliment that wasn't probably the most generic thing in the world. "That is probably something I should have already known to do...wow...I'm an ass" he said and thought over it. He looked at her and his lips quirked up, his expression turning thoughtful and mischievous "So...if I wanted to compliment you for example...I could say that your best feature is how you always greet me with the nicest smile, makes me feel like we're best friends every time. Or your eyes...those are nice too" he shot her a genuine smile to show he meant it but he wasn't flirting.

Sunny maybe was not flirting, but Wraen was. The whole discussion, in fact! From a wolf, who had no other relationship experience than living in four packs and having met myriad of people in her life-time and making friends out of few of them. Well, when we sum all of this up, it's not that bad of a portfolio for being an expert in people and in women's point of view in general.

"You are learning fast," she praised him and withheld from giving a compliment to him. Because she was entitled not to do so. And - well - let's be honest, there was not much he could tell him other than he was a nice fellow. A confused one, but decent. Maybe she should, hmmm... nah, he had been embarrassed enough today. "Tell me more about your kids. What are they like?" she changed the subject, deciding that there was enough learning for today.

She sounded so much like an adult teaching a kid that he snorted and gave her a dopey smile but didn't say much, instead silently contemplating over what she had taught him. His expression changed into one of delight and happiness, his love for his children immediately showing "My kids....they're so different each of them. Minnow is my wanderer, she never stops exploring and sometimes it scares me but she seems to be aware of the rules and sticks to them. Ever since Aliac died Aeryn has gotten a bit quieter and closed off but he's okay really, he's a smart boy and I know he'll get past it. Valiant is...well he's outgoing, loud, brash but independent" his eyes got a glazed over look in them as he yammered about his children, his smile never leaving his face. As he fell silent his expression slowly changed, happiness fading into a sort of melancholy calmness "I left tonight to get away for a bit but I should be there. With them. I know that now" he said and turned to her, ears flicking as he stopped walking  "I have to head back..it was good to see you again Wraen. See you next year?" he teased her one last time, eyes bright and expression warm. She had saved his sanity and unbeknownst to him probably given him the knowledge to become a great man if he worked at it.

"It's a shame that you do not live any closer," Wraen admitted. She had a soft spot for children regardless to whom they belonged. "The Blackthorn gang would be delighted to meet them," she withheld the fact that they would probably first be tested as chew toys and only after the initial, mandatory quality control would be let to join the bunch. Though you never knew.

"Next year it is - come right after the season ends. I do not entirely trust you," she bumped her shoulder against his and then retreated. "Farewell, the Willow King, and may fate treat you better from now on," she told him with a mischievous smile and was off.