Neverwinter Forest 'Cause my love is mine, all mine

Ludovicus had heard the news of Raindrop's birth while he was still at the hunt. Despite it, he hadn't yet returned home. The hunt had been over for some time now, there was nothing else for him to stay outside of territory lines for, yet here he was.

He told himself that he was looking for a gift, but he knew that wasn't the only reason. He had felt a spike of anxiety during the hunt, grating and, as far as he knew, uncalled for. His nightmares had come back, his sense of identity fading once more, and it always seemed like eyes were on him. He needed time to think it all over, to relax himself. He wasn't going to insert himself into such an important time for Raindrop and Valiant if he wasn't entirely sure that he knew what he wanted from it.

Pushing out a breath, he moved through the forest not quite ready for today's hunt. He knew he could take his time, and that he was well overdue for some downtime. Based on how he was feeling, he clearly needed it.

Though she was tired from her travels, Angel sought out Ludo after meeting her new siblings and reuniting with her sister and mother. She walked with a slight limp, having aggravated the injury, but was feeling quite well, all told.

She found Ludo in the dark forest that she still sometimes heard stories about. Valiant, she knew, didn't like this place, and always avoided it even when it was inconvenient. She was surprised that Ludo would go here, but she followed his trail despite her trepidation.

"Ludo," she called to him as she drew near, her tail wagging. She finally caught sight of him through the trees and quickened her limping pace. "There you are. Did you miss me?"

She didn't suppose that he would have, but she made the impish remark anyway.

He was joined by Angel, a surprise, but not entirely given the recent hunt.

I thought you left. It came out cruel, maybe some of that was intentional, but his eyes said otherwise.

He couldn't really say whether or not he missed her. They hadn't spoken since the last time he left to brood in a forest, and she left soon after that. Are you visiting Raindrop?

Angel blew out a breath, sensing that her presence was not the most welcome. She'd never had a familial relationship like this. Had never fought with a sibling. Had never faced a loved one's dissatisfaction or hurt feelings. Not since she was a pup, at least, and had pulled too hard on her sister's ear. It hurt differently than the holy pangs of missing her father. It was uglier, she thought, to feel things for someone right there in front of you.

"To visit everyone," she agreed, drawing nearer anyway. Ludovic was — troubled, she thought. Of course he was. Perhaps she was becoming part of that trouble, trading overtures for absences as it pleased her.

"I would've come to say goodbye," she told him. "If I'd known how long I was going to be gone. I want to make sure I see everyone, this time."

She wandered alongside him, not quite comfortable in this forest, but determined to chat with her sorta-brother.

"Mom said you haven't been by yet," she noted, curious about this absence.

Ludovic held back his venom. Maybe some part of him was hurt, but he knew that Angel wasn't deserving of any more nastiness he had to deal out.

No. I was at the hunt. He responded in a matter-of-fact manner. It's not like they need me right now. I'm going back in.. a day or two. That felt like the truth.

His feelings on the puppies were mixed. Ludovic knew from stories that he should feel a connection, a bond formed before he could even lay eyes on them.. but it hadn't happened. They were just puppies, a marker for a new chapter in the lives of two wolves who had been his new chapter. He was happy for Raindrop and Valiant, it was impossible not to be, but he was unsure of how to approach the new litter.

That assertion visibly startled the young woman. Her lips parted as if to say something, but, taken aback, she found herself not quite knowing what to say. After a moment, her tone trying very hard not to be gentle,

"They never really need us," she told him. "It's just that they love us."

She stepped a little closer to him, her blue eyes losing their careful sheen. She was wary of Ludo, sometimes. She did not want to upset him. She wished they would get along more easily. But some things needed to be said, even if it was bound to make things awkward.

"I know we haven't spent much time together," she told him, her voice earnest, "but you're still my little brother. If things get too... much out here, you should come and visit me in the taiga. You don't have to stay by their sides because they need you, or even because they love you and want you. But you should go and see them, Ludo. I think it'll do everyone some good."

Ludo knew she was trying to help, but her good advice failed to penetrate his thick skull. His face went through a series of increasingly troubled expressions, but in the end he only turned away.

I'll see you later, Angel. If you come back home. He then turned, taking off at a proper run.

Eventually, he would take note of what she had said. He was a good kid, but undeniably stubborn; they would need to hope that he grew out of it.

She couldn't help the little sigh that escaped her when he turned away. She was frustrated with them both for their stilted relationship, and if she was honest with herself, she felt pretty guilty for how little of a relationship there was to speak of. She'd lost her father and her sisters, and she'd seen others lose even more — she knew that familial ties needed to be treasured!

But it was hard, with Ludovic. She didn't know how to bridge that gap. Especially when her leaving seemed to have hurt him, or hurt their relationship, at least.

"You'll see me," she muttered, darkly and under her breath once the boy had disappeared from sight. She'd visit again soon, and she'd be his sister whether he liked it or not.

It did seem, increasingly, like not.