Lost Creek Hollow haces

@Ash Paw had gone. silvertongue had at first suspected it was to do with the pups — until she had tracked the new fang's scent outside the packland. brow furrowed, the woman now waited in a dusting of new snow for the other, eyes watchful to see that the other had come back. and the moment she spotted ash paw, she would move to question.

Ash Paw moved with a purpose into the near pack lands. But she stopped when she found Silvertongue waiting for her. She had washed the scent of Akashingo off her, mostly because it had been unpleasant to her stomach and it made her belly swish. She didn't like it. 

She never meant to hide this from anyone. So when she spotted Silvertongue her tail weaved behind her with gentle hello, unsure how the woman would take to her.

Hello. I returned from Akashingo. I went to retrieve the father of my children. The pharaoh has died a new one has taken place. A pharaoh Makono.

Her brow wrinkled in confusion. I'm sorry if I have caused you distress.

akashingo. silvertongue stared with a long blink at the heavily pregnant woman and then drew herself up. "ash paw, are you aware of our relations with akashingo?" she could not very well be upset with the fang for not knowing, though angered mind and sickened belly wanted fiercely for a scapegoat. yet she would not let her anger be more.

For a brief moment Ash Paw was quite fearful that the other would attack her, so she pulled herself tightly upwards. Immediately shielding her belly, ears splayed to her head. And backed up a few steps, anxiety ridden. Any other time, any other place, she could fight back, but  now.

Though the other wolf didn't attack and Ash Paw let her breath out with a whoosh and she had to blink back tears she hadn't realized how emotional she was.

Ash Paw shook her head. Sorry you. Ah. No. No. I only know that you and Crow both told me they were not nice.

Then she waited, still with baited breath unsure what was going to happen now and afraid she may have just cursed her children twice.

silvertongue's mouth was a grim line, though her eyes softened in surprise and indignation to see how ash paw reacted. "you are not going to be punished." pharaoh, dead? makono. yes. she knew the name. a woman sat upon the throne of akashingo. she drew a breath. "we should tell crowfeather." her eyes were empty. "why did you go if you knew?"

Ash paw tilted her head then spoke softly. because i promised a little girl I would visit her there, and because it is where Ingram is, my very best friend and I guess husband. I don't know it is veyr confusing and all very sudden. He is my best friend, father of these littles. 

He wasn't biological their father, but she didn't care. He was their father. They would call him dad.

best friend. father. husband. silvertongue did not feel the tears on her face at first. "if he is all this to you, then why did you not stay there?" as she had. as she would again. the star swiped angrily at her face. her scent had been no secret; she hoped the other would attribute it only to her resettling hormones. "come on," she said gently. "let us have this discussion sooner rather than later."

Ash Paw stared at Silvertongue completely unsure what was going on. Because I was not allowed, and it's not to my likening and because he asked if he could come here. I came to ask. We are not of Akashingo. We were of Basilica.

Ash Paw herself was becoming emotional and she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen and had to take a deep breath and another finally she was gasping as she went to her knees. She was not having them, but the stress. She imagined, or hoped. It was too early. Too Early.

She took a deep breath and another, slowly forcing herself to calm down. She had overdone this. She shouldn't have left and she shouldn't have gotten upset. She took another deep breath and slowly stood to follow the other she wolf. 

Let's go.

it does not matter! you should have stayed away! but silvertongue knew this was unfair and not rational. so she only shut her mouth hard, moving to help ash paw walk. slowly they came to the waterfalls, and it was here that the star called for @Crowfeather, voice polite and unworried.

The tripod came at once. He would never ignore the call from Silvertongue. Even if she only wanted company, he would not deny her. The tone of her voice had given nothing away. The shadow raced to where she summoned him without knowing what he might find.

It was Ash Paw. Crowfeather’s pace slowed. He eyed the pregnant woman with a worried expression on his dark features. Even from where he stood, the dark Star could smell the familiar tang of Akashingo on her pelt.

Hadn’t he told her? Hadn’t he explained that Akashingo was not a good place?

Ash Paw… what’s happened? he asked her. The young shadow couldn’t help that his eyes flicked to Silvertongue.

Ash Paw was an emotional basket case and she was angry. Silvertongue was her newest leader yes, but she hadn't told her she couldn't go to Akashingo and she hadn't gone to bring anyone back, though Toula wanted to come back and hadn't she told the girl no. That she  must stay there. IT was unfair. Though Silvertongue had not said anything, Ash Paw could feel the tension she could see the irritaton and it irked her further, caused her more unrest. She was growing angrier by the second.

Nothing happened except apparently I made a misstep somewhere. She huffed quietly. 

Then she closed her eyes and had to take a deep breath. The pain growing. She had heard of this, these tightenings to get your body ready for birth and she found, she sort of hated it. And it caused her deep unrest and further emboldened her ire.

She breathed through her nose in and out. Just a moment, my body has decided it needs to get ready for birth right this minute and it's painful. Not taht I am going to have these babes yet, just my body saying hey guess what.

Then she blinked open blue eyes and stared at both of them, growing suddenly very tired. But she did owe them the truth. And she didn't wish to cause Silvertongue anymore sadness, or irritation despite how she also was annoyed.

Before I came here we were Basilica and Ingram, my former leader, now husband, he is also father of these ones. Anyway. He made ties with Akashingo. I know not what it was for and I had never spoken with any of them, but a priest who irritated me and a very young princess named Toula.

Ash Paw took a soft breath. She is a child, naïve of the workings of the world and sweet. Nothing like her family, at least not yet. I had promised her i would return. And I also promised I would visit Ingram. That is where i went only to see Ingram. I had no plans to enter Akashingo, but it seems Akashingo doesn't care for what others think.

She blinked. While I was there I found out the Pharaoh has died, and his daughter Makono. I believe that's the name took over. And Ingram found he no longer wishes to stay there, that he wants to come here and be father, husband. Now i can leave if i must. But you must tell me now, because I don't have long before these children are due. It is clear that I have caused unrest. And i was not my intention.

Ash Paw was forthcoming with the information she shared.

Crowfeather felt a creeping sense of dread in his dark limbs. He didn’t interrupt the expecting mother as she spoke of her trip to the Pharaoh’s grounds. She spoke of a man named Ingram who had become important to her. She spoke of a girl named Toula – a princess. The shadow wondered if the girl was anything like he had been to Akashingo.

It sounded as though Ash Paw had made a few friends.

The most striking news came with the mention of the Pharaoh’s passing. Crowfeather’s chest rose and fell swiftly. His eyes shifted to Silvertongue, again. She had been silent. She had been watching with the sharpness of her glassy stare.

You- You-

Damn the words and the thoughts that did not so readily come to him. The dark Star cleared his throat with a shuffling step.

You don’t have to leave.

The tripod swallowed at the lump in his throat. Riverclan was a place of healing and a place of care. It was not meant to be guarded from those who needed it. Ramesses was dead and his daughter had taken the throne. Crowfeather couldn’t help but wonder if Germanicus knew about this. He thought to tell him, though he did not know when the ranger would return.

Ash Paw, I- I need you to tell me these things before doing them… next time. We- he gestured to Silvertongue with his snout, have not had a good experience with Akashingo or its rulers. We would prefer if they did not know we were here. And- And I could have helped you find a way to speak to your husband, without risking that.

Was he within his rights to say this to her? Would she scoff at him and then leave? Crowfeather hoped not. He had opened his home to her and her unborn pups. He was opening the door again for the man she called her husband, without knowing him, without knowing the risk of what he might carry from Akashingo.

Akashingo is not a good place. So- So Ingram may come here, if it is where he wishes to be. But I ask that nothing is carried over from the Pharaoh’s land. Riverclan is a peaceful place. A place of healing. We do not want their ways here. Is that agreeable?

Ash Paw saw no reason to hide her involvement. She didn't want to cause an issue, but she also refused to cowl to people controlling her every thought, movement etc. She would not allowa nyone to do this, not even Ingram could tell her how to handle her own stuff. She was in this sense haughty for a reason.

She eyed him and Silvertongue with shrewd eyes, but she kept her body neutral and immediately allowed her eyes to fall away from them. She found she was not want to trust them now. If they had this reaction and they wouldn't even tell her why the place was so taboo. No it didn't bode well. Granted she didn't like Akashingo either, too opulent.

She nodded her head. This is fine with me. I prefer healing to most everything, including other wolves anyway. And thank you. I am sorry if I offended or caused unrest. I had not meant too.

She dipped her head again, and then shifted with a soft noise. I really would like to go collect Ingram and rest if you don't mind?

ash paw spoke. crowfeather answered, and with more confidence in his voice. the star offered them both a thin smile when ash paw asked for her leave, though she wondered at this man from akashingo. he would not be trusted until he had earned his place in the clan. "if you need anything for your den, please tell me," silvertongue said to the pregnant she-wolf. her body asked for calm. her heart was roused to anger, not against ash paw but kindled wrath for the palace once more. "you have not disturbed anything," she assured, and then the smile did touch her eyes for a moment. "your children will be the first born in riverclan. that is an honor for us all."

Will you make it alright? I- I’m sure we could ask someone to go as messenger to him.

Crowfeather worried for her. He did not imagine that trekking over the mountain and into Akashingo would prove healthy for the expecting mother. Those pups could suffer from it. She could suffer from it. And if she was caught somewhere out there in the wilds, where they could not find her…

Come and rest. Let me get you some rabbit. Her favorite. And then we can give you some things to help with your energy.

She was journeying to find her husband, the father to her children. Crowfeather had dragged his crippled leg across foreign lands to find Germanicus. He knew that she would not be deterred from the task, if her heart was set on it.

Last from me <3 Thank you both for this lovely thread. I love their personalities

A soft rewarding smile to Silvertongue and she bowed her head. Thank you for giving me a home when most would have turned me away. I am glad my children can help your claim.


He has followed me. I am sure once he arrives he will call for the two of you. Thank you. 

She would follow behind him, and eat and rest. Not realizing she had pressed herself a little too hard and come soon she would regret it as she would fall into a deep sleep and awake achey and tired.

<33!

and once ash paw was settled with crowfeather, silvertongue would make one excuse or another not to be alone with him. she did not yet want him to see her eyes, though later he might question. and then she planned only to say she had been ill.