Swiftcurrent Creek Where Oh Where

Lestan had been gone from the mountain and it pained Amalia deeply. She had assumed he had headed towards Natigvik and so it was Natigvik she also headed for. Though imagine her surprise as she loped along, the scent of Lestan caught her attention and it was near a new border. She sniffed and looked around, curious.

She stepped back and away from the border, and looked curiously past it. Then with a gentle lift of downy head she howled out to her friend. @Lestan

It was cold and treacherous in winter, and who was he with? Was he safe? Was he happy? Had he found someone to take her place so readily. The last part filled her with shame and she shook her head. How terrible of her to think such things. THey would always be friends, or so she hoped.

She lowered agile, graceful body down and waited. She lifted silky ears and maw. Closing her green gems and allowed the snowflakes to dust along her face and ears, color along the eyelashes that rimmed the jade depths of all deep soul.

what a fine thing, to have neighbors! lestan wanted to go and visit them at once, to see what manner of wolves lived around the creek. he would warn them too of the gang. perhaps then akavir might rest easier. 
today his heart was more restful. easy then for lestan to sing once more.
and his song! pierced and ended sweetly by a voice he knew well! lestan dropped all of what he was doing and sprinted directly for the snow-dusted woman at the borders, locking cornflower with her sweet green eyes and shouting a laugh. "amalia! what brings you?" oh he loved to see her, was delighted.

Amalia heard the thumping of feet before she saw him. She jumped to her feet, her back half wiggling in abject joy.

LESTAN! She howled back. She danced near the edges of the territory. Tippy toes forward and a back a little hitch in her throat and a whine. She couldn't pass them, but oh she wanted too. To throw herself at his chest and hug him until he couldn't breath.

A huge smile lit up her eyes and face. What do you mean what am I doing? What are you doing? The picture of health.

"i've — i've been well," lestan opted to say. never mind talk of battle and wounds. "this place is becoming home. quiet. pretty." he flashed her a grin. "what about moonglow? are you settled there?"
his eyes softly searched her face.

Amalia's tail continued it's tattoo against the ground. As she wanted to just keep him right next to her.

I am glad you have found home. Do you have others with you? Do they treat you well? Do i need to give them a stern talking too?

She tilted her head, ears up in a puppyhood expression, smile on her face.

She frowned. No. I have been thinking more and more of Brechliant. Where my friend Maia leads. Moonglow is not home, no matter how hard I try. And the leaders though they are wonderful they are not Kigipigak and Sahkmet.

he laughed, a gay and heady sound. "akavir and arric are rough, tough men. but they aren't unkind." his cornflower eyes were joyed at her protectiveness. 
brecheliant. "what's the pack like?" he asked, somehow sorrowed at this but happy for amalia. "how far is it? moonglow can't be home if you aren't settled."

They sound dangerous. You tell me if the toe out of line. I'll take care of it. She made a show of acting tough, though her smile quickly betrayed her, followed by her laughter. Seriously though she would if needed.

It is small and familial. They treat all their members with kindness and bring them in as family. It isn't far from Moonglow at all, merely down the mountain a ways.

"well! that's good then. you can still see kigipigak and sakhmet that way." and he grinned at amalia, still charmed by her sweetness and ferocity in the face of the creek wolves. "it sounds like the perfect place for you."
suddenly, softly, lestan wondered if his dear friend wanted to be a mother in the coming year. he could see her with it, gentle and nurturing.

Amalia's ears went to her skull. I don't know if they wish to see me though. Kigipigak has thrown himself into work and Sahkmet is sad and bitter. I don't know how to tread around it.

She smiled as he studied her. Wondering where his thoights were. what you thinking about so strongly? she pointed to the furrow in his brow

lestan nodded sadly. "they lost a lot. i imagine they're still healing. but it's not your fault or your burden to bear."
he slung a friendly arm around her. "i was being romantic and stupid," lestan grinned, "and wondering if brecheliant might be a way for you to — start over. maybe even have a family."
a low dull blush leapt in his cheeks.

Amalia frowned. But didn't I add more loss by leaving? even if i did it as gently and kindly as possible?

She accepted his arm and smiled warm and sunnily. Romanticism is not stupid, Lestan!

I don't know if they allow that yet. I haven't asked. I don't even know if i want to be a mother yet. I love babies, but.

Amalia frowned. My father always told me that I am too careless to raise younglings. That i am to flighty and fancy free. That I would do more harm than good. And I suppose that has still stuck with me. He said it from a place of trying to help, but well.

lestan listened and his eyes grew firm. "but you are not your father, amalia. you are yourself. if this is what you want, then ask." he smiled. "you are so firmly rooted. i can't see what he did. and also, no. don't hold their pain. we do have to live for ourselves, after a while, yes?" lestan added, searching her with an encouraging look.

There was a colder look to his eyes than she was used too, but it wasn't aimed at her. More so she imagined it had something to do with the words she repeated her father had said. Her father had only been trying to help, but he had forgotten how easily young girls were impressionable.

I may ask, but that brings around the question of who would i want to father them. Because well, I can't do it on my own you know.

She smiled at him a knowing look in her eye. Yes we do.

lestan laughed a bit. "you're beautiful!" he blurted, then rushed on: "and sweet, and so, so gentle, amalia. you listen to any of my rambles."
hadn't he felt the first stirrings with her?
"so i think you'll have no problem, if it's what you really want."

Amalia's green eyes went wide, then she smiled. Quick and kind. Thank you, Lestan. You are a handsome fella yourself. And don't sell yourself short. You are as sweet as I am if not more so.

She rushed forward to press her snout into his shoulder again with laughter in her face. A compliment for a compliment as was common place for her.

amalia was quick to embrace him. lestan wondered, just once, what life might have looked like, had they all stayed with natigvik. was it possible that he and amalia could have ended up together?
but in this moment, he felt they were deep friends, and wanted to preserve that. so he squeezed her close and stepped back, laughing. "tell me about the hunting in brecheliant!"

The thought had crossed Amalia's mind more than once, but Lestan had left. And she had left. Both for their own peace. It was both sad and happy all at once. She missed him, but they were not too terribly far apart.

Oh! It's like a mini forest. It's so pretty there, there are rivers and small forests and hills. You would love it. There's even a lake inside the pack lands!

fade with ur next post? trying to clear my 2022 threads lol <3

"oh?" lestan asked, eyes dancing. "tell me about your favorite places, and the people, and what you want to hunt."
he smiled, and his gaze was filled with love. only good things must come to amalia. this was his determination.

gladly as always thank you for the thread

Amalia would spend the day twlling onw of her desrest friends of her pack and its people and all her favorite places. And she would leave him with a bittersweet hollow in her black chest.

How she wished all had been different and Natigvik would have stayed put.