Duck Lake Metaphorically, I'm a whore, and that's denial number four

He had snuck away long after he assumed everyone had fallen asleep. It was out of character for the alpha to leave the creek. Normally, he stayed close, patrolling or taking care of mates or children, but tonight, he had needed a break. Things were starting to remind him of last fall on the plateau; their numbers were dwindling, and he was filled with uncertainty about what would be left of the creek after winter. This time, though, there was far more at steak. He had children that relied on him, and if the pack fell apart, they would suffer the most. He worried constantly about everything, and tonight after his usual patrol, he had started to feel suffocated by the weight of all the things in his life, and he had left the borders to wander into the valley.

He stopped when he reached the lake. Kavik was vaguely familiar with the place, but he hadn't been here many times. He moved forward until his paws were submerged and lowered his head to drink. When his thirst was sated, he walked farther into the water, stopping when the cool liquid engulfed his knees and elbows. He wasn't sure what exactly he was doing, but he just stood in the water, listening to the sounds of the night and trying to forget everything even for just a few moments.

Sarah had not been entirely honest with Warlock, when she had encountered him one night. It was true that the danger loomed from every corner even at a claimed and well-guarded territory as Lost Creek Hollow, however, during the night-time she wandered the forest to check up on things and make sure that nothing bad would come even close to her nephews and nieces. After all nightmares tended to visit her more frequently, when the sun had set, and instead of wasting energy in fear and sadness, she had opted to stay awake and do something useful. 

Hunger met the most dedicated and motivated of people and, when all seemed peaceful and safe to leave, Sarah made a little journey to the Duck lake to see, whether a snack was waiting for her. Late night dinner was put on hold, however, when she came across fresh tracks of an unfamiliar wolf, and had followed them all the way to the water's edge. There hidden by reeds that grew on the banks, she observed the dark-pelted man, who had stepped in the water. Quiet and calculating.

He stood in the water for a while, listening to the sounds of the night and willing his mind to quiet down, but it never did. A heavy sigh moved from his chest, and he turned and sulked from the water. When he reached the shore, he stopped to shake the water from his thick, ebony coat. He stood still for a few moments, eyes searching the sky, and then he turned back to face the water and plopped down on the ground. Resting his head on his front paws, he stared at the lake and the way each breeze moved small waves across the surface of the water, the moon light glinting off the reflective plane each time a wave swept through one of its glimmering beams. The woman went unnoticed for now, too hidden and too quiet to alert the alpha of her presence, and so he silently brooded as he was prone to do.

The wolf did not seem to have noticed her, which was initially to Sarah's liking. It meant that she had chosen a good figurative "watch-tower" and reassured her of her skills. After few more minutes, she realized that she was also stuck here. And standing on a wet substrate in cold autumn night was not a prospect she wanted to engage in. She had better things to do with her life than to freeze to death.

After one last glance and the dark wolf and having made sure that he was not going anywhere, Sarah shifted and moved in the reeds and began to splash away. A fast pursuit in her current location was not possible. All would have gone well, except she happened to scare a sleeping duck, which quacking in panic, flapping it's wings loudly took a lift off from it's hiding place and managed to strike the wolf in the muzzle. Quite painfully.

"Bloody hell!" Sarah sweared loudly in sudden burst of emotion, having forgotten that she was not entirely alone here.

Her cursing made him jump to his feet and whirl around to face the direction of the sound. He wasn't sure what he expected, but a duck fleeing the scene, leaving and angry wolf in its wake was not really at the top of the list. He stared with some confusion at the woman for a few seconds, eventually taking a few steps in her direction. Are you okay? he finally asked, stopping a good distance from her for fear he might anger her further. He did not wish to fight with anyone tonight...or ever really, although he would if needed. His gaze drifted to the place where the duck had disappeared, settling back on the stranger after a few moments, concern apparent on his face. He also wondered how long she had been there, but he was waiting to ask anymore questions until he was sure she wasn't injured and had no ill intentions towards him.

The man took notice of her and even acted civil to Sarah. She - on the other hand - feeling still pissed about her lack of luck in the stalker's camouflage game, shot him a "Yeah? Bugger-off!" look of irritation. Then turned away and focused on entangling herself from the reeds and dragging her wet ass to the shore. 

Once there, she shook her coat and hind-end particularly, because in her surprise she had tripped backwards and ended butt-first in the water. Finally, when she felt content enough to be a very unpleasant person on a high horse, she fixed her gaze on the man again. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

His eyebrows raised in shock at the inflammatory look his question earned from the woman. He silently watched her extract herself from the water plants and make her way to dry land where she shook out her coat, stifling the amused smile that threatened to curve his lips for fear it would anger her further. She barked her question at him, demanding to know why he was here. He raised an eyebrow and glanced around. This territory isn't claimed, he calmly pointed out, his gaze returning to the damp stranger. I feel like I should be asking you that question since you're the one that was lurking around in the water without making me aware of your presence. He assumed that to be the case anyway. He certainly hadn't heard her approach and was beginning to wonder just how long she had even been there. Lucky for her (and him to be honest), brazen women were a favorite of his, and her curtness was just the distraction he needed.

"And you were lounging right in the middle of my hunting grounds," Sarah pointed out that she had just as a good reason to lurk around in the reeds. She did not know the guy and there was always a chance to end up as a prey to someone else.

"That makes us even," she finished the subject quickly, because she did not wish to dwell on it for too long. "So, who are you and what brings you here in the middle of the night?" she asked the guy again. The question was not exactly the same, but the intentions were.

His eyebrows raised again in amusement as she continued to fire curt words at him. Honestly, he had no idea this was anyone's claimed hunting ground, but then, he rarely ventured out this far; he was always way too bogged down by family and alpha duties to do much exploring beyond the borders. I apologize, he said first. I didn't realize I was interrupting anything. A small smile curved his lips and teasingly, he continued, So in that case, I can consider us even. To her next question, he dipped his head respectfully and answered: I am Kavik, Alpha of Swiftcurrent Creek. And I am out here so late because I just needed some time to myself. His family demanded a lot from him, not that he ever minded but occasionally, he just needed some time on his own to process everything that what going on and try and figure out how best to fix whatever problems plagued the creek. Emerald gaze resting on her face, he turned the question on her. And what about you? You've implied that you were hunting but you haven't told me who you are. Her scent told him she had a pack, but he couldn't quite place which pack. Admittedly, he wasn't all that familiar with the scents of all his neighbors.

"You'd better," Sarah grumbled with an air of a gravely insulted queen, when Kavik apologized for interrupting her hunt. It did not matter that she was not entirely honest about this. If there was a chance to make someone else feel guilty and make him express it, she was the first person to press for it. In this aspect the man from the Swiftcurrent creek had not disappointed her.

"Taking a break from the blissful family life?" she arched an eyebrow. She had been there and could empathize with the man. Children were necessary evils, but, boy, did it take a very long time to carve something useful out of the wooden log. And even then you could not be sure that their common sense was in the right place or if they had it at all. 

"I do not think that it matters very much now," she replied, but then gave in. "Sarah from Lost Creek Hollow. I think my niece Ibis visited your pack during her ambassador training."

A dip of his head was all he offered to her haughty response. Hunting was important, and if he had interrupted her search for food, then he truly was sorry. And he was in no way put off by her attitude. 

A smile tilted one corner of his mouth at her next words. I suppose that is what I'm doing, he answered with a shrug. Blissful wasn't quite the word he would use to describe his life currently, but he wasn't really going to dump all of his problems on a stranger, especially one that he had already pissed off. It had been so quiet here, which made him suddenly wonder: What were you hunting anyway? He glanced around. It's been so quiet here, I didn't even realize there was prey around.

She may not have thought it mattered, but he was glad she answered anyway. He dipped his head again. It's nice to meet you Sarah from Lost Creek Hollow, he offered first. The pack sounded vaguely familiar, but he couldn't quite remember why until she mentioned her niece, Ibis. Yes, my mate told me about her visit. I was unable to meet her or speak with her, though. Rosalie had been the one to meet Ibis and her travel companions at the borders of the creek, and she had informed him of it later that day. He still needed to pay the pack a visit and set the foundations for a possible alliance.

Sarah wished she could retain her anger and justified grumpiness towards Kavik, but you cannot keep up that fire burning, if the other person is not like gasoline, but like tepid water. The metaphorical flames melted away, her features eased and the deep-set frown changed to a simple furrowed brow of a person, who is listening attentively and trying to remember all of the important bits.

"A wise hunter never tells others of their best hunting spots," Sarah replied, though she realized that she had already broken that rule by being here and telling the stranger, what her intentions had been. "The earth has a lot more to offer than the large ungulates that are romping around," she added, thinking back to her dispute with Arbiter on the matter. Terance's wife had not managed to fully convince her, because Sarah had grown up and raised her siblings on less rather than more. She had been raised not to have too high expectations and focus rather at the things she could hunt and get right away.

He dipped his head. Of course not, he replied, eyebrow raised. I don't blame you for keeping the details for yourself. His mouth kicked up into a half smile. I promise I won't hunt here unless it is with you, he offered, more seriously. There was no reason they couldn't form some kind of hunting alliance. His children needed to be fed and he was sure she had packmates to feed as well; maybe they could help each other out. We could hunt together sometime, Kavik suggested. Maybe split the spoils? He wondered how open she would be to his offer. Seeing how she had responded to him so far, he half expected his proposition to irritate her, but maybe he could get a new hunting partner out of this. His pack was low on adults to help hunt, so it would be helpful.

Unbeknownst to Kavik, he did know, how to fluff up the other person's ego. Sarah was naturally suspicious of all business propositions coming from strangers, did not believe in altruism or selflessness and therefore took the dark male's words as an awkward attempt to flirt. Wouldn't be the first time, but she stood above that. 

"Not exactly my kind of deal,"  Sarah replied with a wry smile. "You keep to your side and that will make me very happy," she added, though just by looking at her stern and brooding features it was not very clear, if she was familiar with the term. "Besides those kind of promises are for my brother and his mate to make. Not me," she told him. 

Since she was just as easy to talk to as a concrete wall (you could say the same about writing her - good grief, lady, give your narrator a break!!!), she fell silent and did not contribute anything to the conversation.

She was a tough one. Most that he met were far less resistant to the idea of having a hunting partner or the idea of help in any way. Sarah, though, she seemed to find a way to be contrary in response to everything he had said so far. He found it amusing, although he tried his best to hide that from her, sensing that it might inflame her further. Alright, he replied, dipping his head. But if you change your mind, you know where to find me. Maybe after she had more time to think about it, she would decide that his offer was actually helpful. Or she wouldn't, but he would uphold the offer regardless. The mention of her family had him interested. Your brother and his mate? he repeated. Why would it be up to them what you do in your free time? he asked with a raise of his eyebrow.

"Don't depend too much on that," Sarah said with a half-smile, but her expression remained stern and serious. The man was a charmer, he would have easily pulled the strings of a less suspicious person, but not her. It did occur to her that it would interesting to see him trying the same strategy on Treason, but left this thought for herself alone to entertain. 

"They are leaders of the pack. They make the diplomatic relationships, they make deals with whom we ally," she explained. "I am their pawn with no real power," Sarah added, though by just looking at her it did not seem likely that anyone would dare to use her as a mindless tool. She had strong opinions and set ways in life. The she-wolf complied with orders as long as they fit her ideas. Once they did not - well - then she had something to say about that. 

"As an alpha - you know, how it is," she added.

Of course not, he replied with a dip of his head. There is no obligation, just an invitation should you find yourself near Swiftcurrent Creek in the future. Maybe this could be the beginning of an alliance or even a friendship. Or he would never see her again when the eventually parted ways; he would leave that choice to her. 

He did know how it was, but he didn't quite agree with her. Everyone in my pack holds a power of their own, he explained. Without them, there would be no pack for me to lead, so I always value their input and any advice they are willing to offer. He didn't use his position to gain power over others; he did his best to prove he deserved to be a leader, and he never took their trust for granted. I don't know your leaders, but I'm willing to assume that they don't view you as a pawn either.

I would, however, be open to an alliance if your pack is open to the idea. You could never have to many friends, especially with winter just around the corner.

Sarah smirked in response and said nothing. Maybe they did not consider her just a pawn, but she felt worse than that. Like nothing. It had been a heavy fall from Queen to an utter failure and almost a year later she still had not found her place among Terance's family. Yes, she had made few feeble attempts to do so - she did not deny it, but there had to be something very wrong with the pack as whole, if she could neither identify with it or see a niche to fill. 

But Kavik did not need to know this. "I will tell them about your good will," she replied as politely as possible, but she was going to forget about it as soon as she got home. "It has been the most exciting meeting, but I have to go now," Sarah did not hide much that she was looking for an excuse to leave. "Maybe we will meet each other again," she added, what she believed a handy, but empty phrase. What she did not know that in few months time Kavik would have lost his pack and Sarah would be a deserter herself. And that they would share the same living premises. 

Last one from me, but we can have another one in Uaine Gorsedd, if you wish.

I appreciate that, he offered with a dip of his head. And with her next words, he could tell she wanted to leave; he wouldn't keep her here if she didn't wish to be here anymore. He got to his feet and dipped his head once more. It was nice to meet you, Sarah, he said next. I hope that we will meet again. With that, he too took his leave, heading back towards the creek to check on his family.