Shadewood I'm not big on social graces

niamh tag for reference, but all welcome!

Colt had been swamped since joining the Firebirds, between the situation with @Niamh, her return, and their desire to prove they could be capable parents.  Now, with his mate? girlfriend? baby momma? (shit he needed to fix this) pregnant, that hadn't changed.  He hunted best he could for her, brought her bits for the den (bark now? Also that pretty stone he'd found by the river, a lovely gold and brown that had made him think of her.)

But even with all that, he hadn't forgotten the friend he made before joining.  It seemed the man had been successful in his endeavor to make a pack, a fact that pleased Colt.  Upon meeting the well marked space, he remained a distance away, then called for @Cry.

He could use a chat, and he wondered if the other man perhaps would have time to spare and could as well.

Quite a while had passed by since he the pleasure of indulging in just casual conversation. Too much had gone by to where he hadn’t time nor others to speak with other than on military work that needed to be adjusted or their next plans for these coming seasons. He was alone, despite being in a castle of woods stuffed to the brim with other wolves.

It was maddening.

However, a certain voice called from across the borders, a nonchalant but respectful call of his name. Or his alias, rather- none other knew his title but his Empress. 

A busy man, but never turning down an ally. Colt was with the Firebirds still, right? Not the Melonii?

Coming up to the handsomely structured dad-to-be, Cry has changed a slight bit. Where he was once athletic, bull began to form, muscle melding into the thickening bones where he worked tirelessly to enhance his fighting techniques with @Reiner. It was never ending, but worth it, he mused as he approached the dark timbered brown male before his threshold. 

“It’s been a minute- can’t say I’m mad at you. My paws have been filled.” Stepping over the boundaries, he joined Colt on neutral ground, a token of good for good as the swarthy timbercoat hadn’t done any disrespect to him, nor his home. 

“How’s it been, Colt?”

I figured, Colt replied amicably as Cry approached, sitting down easily a ways off as the other man joined him.  Same, really.  Pack, family, duties.. lot to juggle.  Not that it was a bad juggling act to perform.  He was loving every minute of it.

See you got the place staked and done, eh?  Congrats man.  Glad to see we have some neighbors worth havin.  He wondered how long it had taken them and if they'd run into any problems along the way.  Well, in due time... last time their conversation had covered a wide range of subjects, and this time he expected no different.

The Phantom chuckled, the clear reminder of them body leaving behind that loner life to settle amongst something much more lasting. Well, hopefully, so long as he could whip the weak into shape. He couldn’t allow such pitiful woe-as-me cases anymore- there were babies here, now. 

“Indeed- was a hellova makeover, but well worth dropping time for. Got some kids now,,” he said, settling down in a completely comfortable prone position. “And very pleased about it.” 

Rolling his heck from side to side, crown tipped forward, he tried to ease if not alleviate some of the sore muscle there. Taking a side peek to the russet male, he inquired a bit for his own side. “I take it there’s some flurry’s of babymaking over there too, yea? How’s it hanging?”

Shit, dude, congrats.  Colt was genuinely surprised and pleased... he didn't recall Cry specifically mentioning a mate before, but hey, they'd both said a ton.  How many?  He wasn't really interested in the nitty gritty details, but if he wanted to brag a bit about the new kids, Colt wasn't going to stop him.  Hell, he'd be bragging enough for ten dads when his got here.

Which, speaking off... Hah, yeah.  Remember that girl I told you about last time?  We sorted it out.  His smile suggested just how well that had gone also.  Came to live here with me and, while it took some convincin, we have some in the works.  Niamh wasn't obvious quite yet, but she was feelin the kickback, and that was part of the reason Colt was here.  He did what he could, but he needed a break every so often.

Well, that and the other trouble on his mind.  Still haven't officially mated up again, though.  Guess it's hard to find a right time when you already had the right one before.  He shrugged.

”Thanks, man. Got two, for now. Everybody else is throwin up babies too, though, so it feels like a mob of em.”  Appreciation beamed brighter in his chest than in those cold blues of his. He could say he was a bit on the happier side for the counterpart than jealous. A man who knew what they wanted in life deserved what he was going to get, should he be making moves to get it. A nod and a bit of a smirk seeped free from inken lips as Cry listened to the relapse from the brunette. It was interesting- and he almost wanted to ask how much drama had been involved. “Hopefully it sticks- don’t want to go through some nasty shit like that again.” 

Cry knew he and Gwen had their rough patch already, but after they had resworm to one another, everything was fine. And now there were babies- it was meant to come to this. He hadn’t known how much he wanted this until it had happened. It was almost as orgasmic as the second kill in a lifetime. To know, after the first wave of nausea, that this could be a familiar thing, that this could come and remain, and repeat. Yet he worried for his Empress- what if birthing problems came about? What if something went wrong? He could end a life in a matter of milliseconds, but the ex-assassin could not stop death, no matter how hard he could fathom trying. 

And you thought he was mad, now?
The seas would forever wash the scores red, from thence forth.

”Wouldn’t mind meeting this smile-situation you got goin on; Hell, I’m sure my wife wouldn’t mind company either. She’s over the majority of us just checking on her, and the kids are trying their paws at getting into stuff already.” Cry hadn’t had anyone over the Keep for a friendly visit in, well, ever. But then again, he wouldn’t have been too keen on letting anyone in while he revamped all of Shadewood together, anyways. Trying his damndest to get the soldiers in shape and see to it that the mothers had enough food to eat. 

It better stick, he replied, and while he still smiled his tone grew a little more gravid.  One more mess up by either of us and I think it's fair to say we call it what it is.  Mistakes were all well and good, but when you crashed and burned twice, best to leave things on the wayside.

I'll have to see if Niamh's up to it, though may be some time before the kids can be out.  Doesn't seem like the worst idea though, lettin them use some of that energy on themselves and give us a break.  He didn't even have kids yet and already they were a strain.. Niamh's stress was frequently his own.  Never been a dad before, and would be lying if I said I wasn't a bit edgy.  He was long in the tooth by way of years but that didn't mean he knew what he'd gotten into here.  Fuck, being a dad did not seem easy.

”In the majority of it, same,” he replied in reference to being teetery in fatherhood. He let the topic of Niamh go, considering he couldn’t exactly bring anymore to the table on the subject of his company’s mate. If she didn’t want to go anywhere, or wasn’t able, there was nothing to go forward with it with. “I’m mainly just letting Gwen tell me what it is she needs so she can be up and about again. I haven’t even babysat once, yet. I think she knows I’m rather inept at children.” His current role was simply bringing food to her and watching from the distance he felt would put the children out of way of consequence. 

It was almost as though he wanted to be a spectacular father, but just didn’t know how to do so. There was always that underlying worry he would be too rough with them or miss a need of theres. It was too strange to be around for long. He would grow frustrated he couldn’t do more than this, soon. 

“We’ll get it, eventually man.” Nothing wrong with a smidge of hope, right?

closing this to get colt up to date <3 we should have another sometime!

Thinkin we will.  Can't be that hard, right? My old man did alright.  He stood then, rolling a kink out of a shoulder.  Should be gettin back myself.  Once their here, though, I'll see about takin you up on that visit.  It'd be cool to meet up here or elsewise and have the wives and kids meet.  Friends in other packs would do them some good in this crazy world.