Great Bear Wilderness valeo

since i am not exactly sure which direction they would be going, im gonna say they will have made this meeting somewhere in the great bear wilderness, near moonstone quarry <3 this has been such an emotional time & i love all of u <33 set about four days after the pack meeting, so future-dated for oct 12. no posting order & this is my first/only post till the end prob

in the end, cornelius also decided to leave.

germanicus had not expected to lose three of his family in one moment.

their journey had been careful, ruenna half supported or half carried as they descended the mountains. it was his childrens' first trek outside the place of their birth. he only wished they had come in pursuit of easier times.

they camped. he patrolled. he did anything to avoid the thought that he would say goodbye to three of the five individuals who had created his first family. 

the eagle did not weep. he only took each time they paused to sit with ruenna, to speak quietly with her or perhaps not at all.

she slept warm against his body the previous evening, and now he stood with them all before a group of unknown wolves.

their own leader was a russet woman with a pleasant smile. she seemed to be known by his wife. "we received word," the she-wolf said softly. "we have a litter for her." she indicated a sledge of willow-branches, beside which were gathered an equally gentle-featured number of healers, eight wolves of all shades with carrying-bags of greenery, and ivy upon their heads, and flowers gathered into their pelts.

pagans. heathens. and he was to send not only ruenna with them, but two of their children? yet the moment had come. germanicus put his forehead against that of his wife's for a long while. there were no apt words. his military tongue failed him. "i will not forget you," he said, for once voice unveiled so she might hear the rush of so many things inside it.

and then the centurion recovered himself. "alivia. be as good a daughter to your mother there as you have been here." he motioned @Valiria and their sons closer now, glancing from @Aquillius to @Cornelius. "say your farewells," he said of mother and son, of son and father, of sister and sister, of sister and brother; he held cornelius for a longer moment than he meant, and kissed alivia's downy cheek.

"take care of your mother," he said to their son. his eyes were pained and voice now thrown into a lower and more roughlike octave. 

the soldiers were invited forward then (@Tierra/@Reyson) to say their words and their goodbyes, and all germanicus felt was a growing sickening panic. he steeled it behind his face, helping ruenna to lie down upon the litter, setting the carrying-bags with her and lingering, yes, lingering in the honey-glow of her knowing eyes as if he were a helpless boy.

her whispered word assured her love — and set him free of their marriage.

unmoored, the eagle forced himself back. he stood with the children which would stay and watched as alivia and cornelius took up their places beside the willow-branch.

the healers set off, and with them ruenna, and with them three portions of the eagle's soul.

he would watch for a long while until they had faded into the terrain, scarcely blinking and fully unmoving. and then he would return to himself, and order off their party back toward mereo. germanicus could no longer remain here. he wanted to be back in the canyon, though he dreaded that it would no longer be home without her.

the journey back was largely silent for him.

omg i am choked up. Let me see if I can get a decent post out.

Reyson followed, and offered his back to carry if the matrona should need it. Though he was well aware that Germanicus would most likely bear that responsibility. He did not say much upon the hike. He kept mostly to himself. Though his scarred heart went out to the small family.

He had lost his love, his daughter. But it had been a different kind of pain, for they were no longer among the living. However, this felt, somehow, worse. To lose them while they still lived. To watch as your heart departed and walked around outside of your body to a place you could not go.

He did not say much to the lady and the children. He just simply said a simple goodbye. He was not close to them. Though, he held them all in high regard.

Then with stony features he settled beside the Imperator should he need someone to speak with or just the silent offer of comfort. This was not an easy time for commander and family.

going to skip on the other thread and just post here <3

This trip had come at the absolute perfect time. Tierra wanted to get away for a bit and consider things post-party. First realization? Those berries were amazing but she was never eating that many again. It felt like she'd been nauseous for days.

Second was that she might have gotten away with her little... uh, meeting? Sybol didn't seem mad and she hadn't completely fessed up, so it was all fine. It wasn't like they were exclusive, or mated, right? And she hadn't meant to do it. But... wow, it had been something.

It was way too early for her to lock herself into one thing, and just because she had something good didn't mean there wasn't something better. Tierra wasn't planning on avoiding Sybol completely, but she probably would pump the brakes a bit on leading him on. Just a little.

Tierra hung back as the farewells happened. She guessed it was a little sad, but at least Germanicus would know where they were. There were totally worse things. That thought made her roll her eyes (internally) a bit at the dramatics, but she didn't interrupt. Maybe Germ was just secretly clingy or something. Tierra shifted impatiently until they started off again and, for once, didn't bother much with interrupting the silence. She wondered if those wolves would have known where her dad or sister or brother were. Maybe she should have asked.