Firestone Hot Springs I wanna see the world when I stop breathing

perhaps @Mal or @Zephyr or @Helios but im not picky! :)

A melancholy had followed the woman on her traveling, or rather it had followed her since the landslide. She had come seeking closure, hoping to find the remains of her loved ones, or some concrete evidence to stop the whisper of their survival in her heart. How could there be any hope of moving on when her mind wouldn’t let her?

Leaving Alessia, Soter and Morena had been difficult, and she missed them dearly, but they were safe, and sound tucked away with family. Returning to Swiftcurrent Creek had been even more difficult, the damage still evident, the nightmare still very real. The Creek hadn’t offered her the closure she sought, and her despair forced her to move on.

She had been walking for days without any real focus. Aimlessly searching out anyone that might be able to offer her answers. She doubted any could give her what she wanted but she didn’t care. At this point she was considering returning the Emberlight to continue grieving with the only family she had left.

Before her mind could be made up to turn around, Lie came upon something she had never seen before. Hot springs. Her curiosity peaked, the woman ventured toward the steaming water.

Gonna be vague about the deets of the ongoing drama but this takes place a few days after I guess?

Mal never lingered long at the springs. It was just a place he passed through on the way to other places -- a buffer zone between his pack and the rest of the world. He'd found a couple of voles for his own consumption while wandering afar, but now he headed home. Really, this wasn't a time to go too far. Just out of the stench, at least. Now he wove his way back, keeping out of the water and the densest-smelling areas.

He expected a rather boring trip back, and he didn't see anything out of the ordinary... Until he saw some woman move forward up to the water's edge. Was she gonna go in? Nobody he met had been brave enough. But he was probably close enough to be noticed at this point, and standing there watching like a creeper wasn't going to get him what he wanted either. Oh well. So Mal strode forward, calling out -- he was trying to be upbeat and kind of amusing but in the end it might not be too convincing, If you're jumping in, you're gonna have to tell me how long it takes before you stop smelling like a pile of duck farts. He tipped his head to one side, smirking with a kind of playful air. It was the best he could manage, but fake it 'til you make it had always worked for him.

The scent of another passed easily through the humidity in the air, and Lie was already turning her head toward him when he spoke. Of all the things he could have said, and all the greeting she had ever heard Rosalie was slightly taken back by his easy-going nature. She raised a delicate brow as she contemplated a response.

His own smile brought out her own, and she couldn’t help the amused snort. “I’m afraid I’m a lousy swimmer, and I’m not much interested in smelling like duck farts as you so delicately put it.” Her seafoam gaze dropped to the vole for a moment before returning to his dual coloured gaze. “I take it you aren’t here for a swim?”

And maybe it was a little easier to keep rolling once he got started. I'm never going to find someone to test it out for me at this rate, he said with feigned dejection in his voice, but his expression didn't mirror it. He was genuinely curious about it, but not enough to further press the issue.

No, heading home. With a snack for the road. Rather odd that nobody does seem to be willing to take a dip though. You'd think someone would have gotten curious enough to override their nose. His eyes shifted from subject to subject as he talked, the vole he'd  put down, the water. A shrug, then he looked back to her, canting his head like the inquisitive troublemaker he sometimes could be, But what brings you wandering on through, if not our local foul-smelling water feature? Please, give him a good distraction before he headed on home to the recent gloom.

“I tend to trust my nose more often than not.” His demeanor was so open and welcoming that Rosalie found it easy to relax, her tail swaying gently behind her. She offered him a small shrug, better to listen to your senses she figured.

The woman hesitated in a response to his question, mostly because she didn’t want to trample the mood with her own broken heart. “I was looking for someone.” Was the best she could come up with, my dead family, the thought came hovering on the end of her sentence. Her gaze quickly flicked the her paws, the only indication that she wasn’t speaking the entire truth. But it was only a moment and her gaze lifted once more. “But your water feature is nice as well.” She offered her smile returning, yet not quiet reaching her eyes.

Well, if you happen to find someone who doesn't, do send them all by, in the name of science. For a moment his grin broadened, kind of devilish, but it wasn't like he'd been being too serious this entire time, accompanied by a few catlike flicks of his own tail.

Looking for someone could be a distraction... And her pause probably made it a bit more intriguing -- let it be someone else's issue so that at the end of the day he could walk away and not feel anything. That'd be the best, wouldn't it? Mal not might be the most socially-aware of wolves (he'd only started being nice to people because Ceilidh had been nice to him, or something else convoluted like that), but even he could see her distraction. If he could I've been here for coming up on a year now. That was stretching it a little. Since June or something, really. If it's someone who might be in a pack nearby, there's a chance I might know them. Or at least at the right direction for the pack -- I think a few have shifted around with what all happened. You know, no big deal, finding people was an everyday thing. But really he figured he'd be able to pinpoint a pack based on their personality or whatever -- all the packs he knew probably attracted different sorts of people.

sorry about that accidental post (already deleted) in Zeph and Mals thread, I was reading and trying to post at the same time :P

The universe had for once heard her plea, the emptiest of them all. Her gaze once again dropped to the ground, this time remaining on her pale paws. “I —,” She started uncertain how to phrase her question. “My family… during the quakes…” She hadn’t spoken to anyone about what had happened aside from Alessia, and even then they barely spoke of it. Both to afraid to bring up the painful topic, especially in front of Soter and Morena.

Taking a deep breath, and shaking off the anxious and sad energy, Padma straightened her posture stiffening. “I couldn’t find their bodies at the creek we once called home. I’m trying to find them.” By them Lie wasn’t sure if she was referring to their bodies or lingering hope that they were still alive. Her tone had changed, becoming cold and clinical, giving her the necessary emotional distance required to ask some difficult questions. “Do you know of anyone named Kavik? The name fell so easily from her lips, despite not having spoken it in months. Lie cursed herself for the hope that swirled in her chest, if he was alive then he would have kept the others safe.

ha! I missed it entirely, apparently. My phone ate my great into, how dare.

His ears tipped forward as she started speaking hesitantly. He understood, letting that knowledge cloud his smile a bit. Missing family seemed to be all too common, whether it was from the earthquakes or just someone roaming too far for other reasons. 

Unfortunately even rigorous OOC thread searching couldn't provide Mal with the answer she wanted. Even if they had crossed paths before in Bracken Sanctuary, it would have been when Mal was a month or two old at most. So he shook his head, Unfortunately not, unless you think they'd go by a different name sometimes? That plus her earlier clue did make him want to mention something else, though, I assume you weren't from the pack that was just near here then? I think that would qualify as a river, not a creek. But if it was them, I think I know where they moved. He also understood that was a long shot -- generally people were good at separating rivers from creeks.

IM SO SORRY ABOUT THE WAIT!!!

Her hope was crushed by his negative response. Kavik wouldn’t have gone by another name, she wondered if there was any reason to mention the other names. Worry tore at her heart, the very thought of any of her children being separated from any of their parents terrified her. “No we lived on the other side of the mountains.

Her lips pursed together with worry, a sigh the only thing breaking them. Deciding that she needed to find her children at all costs, Lie took another breath. “Perhaps you might have heard of one of my children. My son, his name is Helios? Or my daughters; Lainie, Polaris, Helios or Zephyr?” There was a shake to her voice, which she tried to clear with a swallow.

No prob! XD The real Q is how this effects the meeting threads and things. -- Like will this cause backdated threads or just move it to after the meeting? :P

That caused a bit of a pause. Zephyr had said his family didn't want him -- she certainly seemed to be desperate for them at least. But at the same time obviously she hadn't seen her kids in a while or she'd known Zeph would probably get a little offended about being called a daughter -- unless she was just saying so to make it easier on randos like Mal might be. It left Mal wondering if telling her would be the right choice, but at the same time, he hadn't been asked to lie about it...

Maybe her reaction would tell him more about how much he should say. So, he tipped his head, I probably do for one of them -- there's a Zephyr who's looking for a Helios that's in my pack.  And after what had happened with Zephyr and Kratos... Well, it wouldn't be kind to make the decision to shoo her away for Zephyr. He might actually want someone familiar around. Or not. Whatever. The kid could have the final say -- and certainly if she was here to retrieve him and he didn't want to go, that was right out.

we can just move it, if that works. I don’t want to mess anyone’s timelines up! I can move this forward in time as far as you’d like

Unfortunately my power is out so I can’t format this post properly blah! You’ll have to deal with a crumby phone post

It was true, their family hadn’t been whole for a long time, and Lie has no idea how the child she once knew had changed. Now the consequences for missing out on ‘her’ developmental months.

Rosalie’s war’s perles forward, her jaw dropping. “Really?” Suddenly out of breath, and light headed a strangled sob broke free. “Zephyr, you’re sure it was Zephyr?” But then again who else would have such a unique name and be looking for someone with coincidentally the same name as her eldest son.

“Is she ok?” Lie took a few excited steps forward.

Alrighty! After is probably easier. -- And no prob, it's fine! As you can tell I put so much formatting into my pots, haha.

Mal had lost a little of his confident, smirky edge. Mostly because to a certain point, Mal and Zephyr were on the same page with believing their family didn't want them. Except he couldn't imagine any parent of his (or wannabe parent) ever acting this way. But if there was a reason Zeph had said that.. Ugh. It made him kind of uncertain, but he did his best to keep up as much of the act as he could. Unless it's some freaky coincidence.  Grey, small? But if that's the same Zeph you've uh. Missed a bit, obviously. For starters, I doubt he's gonna want to be called anybody's daughter any more. If I said he was doing super awesome and great, that'd be a lie. Someone attacked him when he was outside the territory. He's healing. Slowly? Fast? Hell if Mal knew. His only other reference was Cam and he hadn't been as beat up. Question is, what do you want to do? Combine her reaction to what he'd just said and the answer to that question he'd just asked, and that would probably answer it all, wouldn't it? Okay, there was some of his own history with motherly figures bleeding through maybe causing that nagging bit of suspicion that caused him to not just sweep her off back to the pack.

ok perfect! So what date should I set this too?

At first she recognized the description, her daughter was indeed small and grey. Especially the last time she had seen her. But apparently the little girl she had known was no longer her daughter, but a son? To be honest Rosalie was sure she quite understood what that meant Lie has still missed her child. Zephyr would always be her child no matter what choices she made in her life.

Lie already carried so much guilt when it came to Zephyr, and they had a lot to talk about. But she would never forsake her daughter or son, no matter the reason.

“Attacked!” Lie honestly wasn’t sure she could take anymore stress. “What kind of a question is that? What am I going to do? I’m going to see my child. Son or daughter, I don’t care.” There was a storm brewing in her eyes as she dared the man to contradict her.

23 or later I guess? I think that's right at least. XD

On the one hand, at least she didn't seem to squawk at Zeph being a dude. But he was still kind of iffy about the whole thing. This had been a fun meeting. Now? Questionable. Mal stood steadfast, his smile fading a bit more. He didn't care whose mother she was, he wasn't just going to chuck all his beliefs aside on a whim. It's a question because I'm not sure what he's gonna think when he sees you. I'm siding with whatever he wants, even if it might not be what you want. And I don't know what all that might be. She might think she had all the rights in the world to see him, but in Mal's eyes he had more of a duty to protect his underlings. He's not going anywhere. And I have a duty to my entire pack to know who all would be coming into the territory and why, so see about filling in the remaining blanks and we can see about making the rest of it happen. He didn't even know her name. Yeah, it seemed kind of unlikely that someone would be out to get Zeph and know the missing brother's name, but Mal would err on the side of protective.

will do!

She was furious. How dare anyone get between her and her child. Lie was used to getting what she wanted, when she wanted. And this thing he was doing, withholding information and forcing it out of her made her beyond angry. But she wanted, no needed to see Zephyr, everything could be sorted out later. At least that’s what she wanted, and it didn’t seem to be what was happening.


A more reserved tone claimed her form. She did her best to form a poker face. Chomping the angry retort, and barely containing her rage, “And pray tell, what blanks would keep a mother from her child?”

She might be stubborn, but so was he. In a battle of wills, perhaps they'd be evenly matched, but here he was distinctly at an advantage. He didn't budge. Well, a name might be a start, he quipped. Look, I'll even begin. I'm Mal. I lead Neverwinter Forest. And after having several wolves attacked, I'm not so keen to trust every wolf who walks on by just because they say I should. So give me something to trust, that's all I'm asking. What was it about being a mother that seemed to unite them under the banner of thinking they ruled the world? Seriously. If she turned out to be enough like Seabreeze and Olive, no wonder Zeph hadn't mentioned a word of her. He wouldn't blame him.

That’s all I’m asking, and truly it wasn’t unexpected, but Rosalie was still pissed. Although at a distinct disadvantage, she had no choice if she wanted to see what could be her eldest living child she would have to cooperate.

“I am Rosalie, I was once the Gamma of Swiftcurrent Creek. After a landslide I believed my eldest children and mate had died, including Zephyr and Helios. I returned to our home looking for closure after ensuring the safety of my youngest two children. Ask me whatever you wish I promise to answer as honestly and completely as I can, I simply wish to see my child.” There was a sadness in her submission, her rage while still simmering was no longer her predominant emotion. Now she was simply sad, to be here begging for a simply glimpse of one of her children.

Her seafoam gaze roamed the male again, appraising him and his intentions. Taking a leap of faith she added, “We are strangers to one another, I understand, I’ve had this conversation before. But I just ask for one conversation with my daug—child, just a chance to fix any heartache they have. Despite what Zephyr may have told you I have always loved her… them… him.” Rosalie had long since come to terms with what happened with Manon, she couldn’t forgive Zephyr until they spoke, but she would rather stand beside her living child than continue to mourn her lost one.

Quick post before I scram to work!

Okay. The fact that his mother was a gamma was something that didn't seem too common knowledge. Yeah sure, he could have just trusted her emotional outbursts and stuff, but honestly, he wanted facts, he wanted information to lob to people if she turned out to be absolutely insane.

Instead of demanding more right now, he nodded, contemplating. The other thing I will need to know is what your plans will be beyond a conversation. I figure that might change depending on how things go. But once you know, I need to know -- assuming Zeph doesn't just say to take a hike. He pointed his nose behind her. Pack is that way.

Turning her head over her shoulder in the direction he had indicated, and nodded stepping aside to let him lead the way. Perhaps in time Rosalie would come to appreciate the care in which Mal directed toward her daughter, and the safety he provided, but that would be a different day. Today she was still quite perturbed.

“Her safety and happiness is my only concern.” It was going to take time for her to grow accustomed to her child’s preferences. “His … I mean.” Lie whispered to herself, angry that she wasn’t able to make a better first impression. “IF I’m not wanted then I will leave without complaint.” A nervous lick of her lips the only indication that she might be worried. There was another question that hovered on the edge of her tongue, but she clipped it back for another time.

We can probably shift over to a new thread in NWF after your next post I guess?

Well. Okay, there was one more thing that didn't exist at the start of this thread. Should Mal mention Kratos? Look, Mal hadn't been within a mile of a properly functioning relationship in his life, and he had no idea how someone's mom would react to that kind of thing even without having figuratively bashed her upside the head with bad news first. In the end he decided that it was better to err on the side of caution -- if he didn't want Rosalie to know anything about his life, then there wouldn't be anything else for Mal to do. He'd just have to step forward and let Zeph know first. Or something.

Whatever. Mal lead the way, but rather than go in silence, did add, It hasn't all been bad. As far as Mal knew at least. But bad is always the most dramatic, isn't it? He was slowly shifting back to the more amiable attitude he had before. Whatever else he wants to tell is up to him. So we'll see what he says. Shrug. That was about all that could be asked for, wasn't it? And in the end, they might have to see if Rosalie would keep her word.

ok!

Rosalie nodded, her thoughts pulled away. She was distracted by the looming reunion with her … son. There was no doubt that she was nervous, there was still so much lingering between her and Zephyr. “I guess we will.” She could only hope that they might find forgiveness in each other.