Sleeping Dragon Like it's 1975

There was still a flame burning brightly in Wildfire's core. It didn't help that she couldn't eat or sleep much, so prevalent was her furious restlessness. She made an effort to curl up with Thuringwethil tonight and forget the world but to no avail. Apologetically, she withdrew and left their den to stalk through the gathering gloom. She caught herself growling under her breath, white wisps trailing from her nostrils and in between her teeth as the temperature dropped to frigid levels. The cold did nothing to temper the inner heat and tension that had her wound like a piano wire about to snap.

Bristling and muttering, the Bandrona found herself standing near the edge of the geyser fields. Everything was quiet, dark and still. Wildfire drew in a long breath, captured it in her lungs and then watched as it streamed back out of her in a silvery cloud. Her warm amber eyes grew unfocused then as she found herself thinking of Freyja in particular. How was she doing in the aftermath? Her trauma hadn't been quite the same as Wildfire's, yet the yearling felt her heart going out to the child all the same, with an empathy only a survivor could understand.

She abandoned her post by the thermal springs and began prowling toward the rendezvous site. It was probably too late to call on the Feisripa—hopefully, she was fast asleep—but Wildfire would check anyway.

Regardless of what she did, Freyja could not sleep. She tossed and turned from within the family den, never quite finding the most comfortable position. She was troubled how things had turned out yesterday and wondered if things would end up nipping her in the rear at a latter date. Though she knew she did no wrong in the situation, she felt as if she did.

Eventually, as she admitted defeat, Freyja cautiously picked herself from her spot within the family den and pulled herself from it so that she was out in the open. She did not dare meander away, feeling all too safe in the proximity of her family, and instead laid alongside the entrance, exhaling heavily as she laid.

Having nothing to do in particular, Freyja set her sights into the night, not settling at anything in particular and stared into the void that was the night.

When she arrived, she saw a pale figure sitting still as a statue. Wildfire's face softened as she rolled to a stop and simply watched Freyja for a minute. She could see the weight on the youth's shoulders and guess what the girl was thinking and feeling, though it was impossibe to truly know. After a moment, she chuffed quietly and began padding closer, though she stopped a dozen or so yards away to avoid disturbing their sleeping pack mates.

Silently, the Bandrona motioned for the Feisripa to join her. With the youngster presumably in tow, Wildfire then led her away from the rendezvous site. She considered finding somewhere to sit and talk, yet she knew that working out some of her negative energy was probably a better option. Perhaps it would be good for Freyja too. Perhaps walking in endless circles might tire out both of them, as unlikely as it seemed. At least it would keep them relatively warm.

"How're you feeling?" Wildfire asked even as her legs kept moving. She turned her head sideways to peer into the pup's face.

She didn’t initially notice Wildfire, even as she was watched, and it was once Wildfire cuffed into the night that Freyja perked and turned her attention to the red-furred woman. There was a sense of relief about Freyja as she looked to her mentor and, as she was beckoned, she picked herself and obediently followed along. Sticking heavily to the woman’s side, closer than she usually did.

“I’m doing better,” she replied, falling into step alongside Wildfire. She wanted to be as strong as the other wolves of Drageda. “How are you?” She asked, genuinely concerned.

The Bandrona noticed that Freyja walked closer than usual but she didn't mind it. She encouraged it, actually, by bumping the girl gently with her shoulder. The experience with Goliath had shaken her confidence and that was all right. She would rebuild it in time. Meanwhile, Wildfire would be there for her in any way she could, all of her own petty feelings toward Freyja put aside for now in wake of what had happened.

"Me?" she echoed, shaking her head by way of answer. She hoped it was true that Freyja herself was feeling better, though she wondered if she was putting on a front to avoid appearing weak or vulnerable. "I'm glad to hear you're doing a bit better. I can't believe he did that to you." She could feel rage bubbling in the pit of her stomach. "If you ever want someone to talk to about it, I want you to know I'm here. I... went through something similar myself once, a long time ago. I know how hard it can be."

She wasn’t sure how long it would take for her to be fully confident again. Would it take days? Months? Years? She hoped for the latter but was truly unsure of how it would all pan out. As Wildfire bumped her shoulder, she smiled in appreciation of the gesture. She was not a clingy wolf by any means but, at this time, she felt the need to linger near.

Her ears flattened slightly as Wildfire began to speak, a frown settling heavily. “He’s always been… off.” she remarked, struggling a moment to find the right words.  Goliath was a strange wolf, but, before her dunking she had never been fully aware of the ugliness that loomed under his rugged exterior. But she did not elaborate on the point. Instead, she focused on what Wildfire said and felt her jaw slack at what she had been offered.

“What happened to you?” she asked quickly before adding a much calmer: “I mean, you don’t have to share if you don’t want.”

She knew Freyja would ask for details and she was ready to field her question. Otherwise, she would never have mentioned it. "I don't mind telling you, from one survivor to another," she said quietly, focusing on the movement of her feet on the cold, brittle grass for a moment before speaking further. "I was attacked too. The nature of the attack was a bit different but that's not what's important. I was manhandled and what he did to me—it was painful. Not just physically but mentally and emotionally. It was scary and awful," she said, sure the Feisripa understood that particular part all too well.

"That attack changed me, changed my entire life," Wildfire continued after a steadying breath, lifting her gaze now to peer off into the night but never slowing. "I lost everything afterward because I had such a hard time coping. It hurt my relationships and drove me from my home, actually." She looked a little sharply at Freyja, hoping the same wouldn't happen to her. "They didn't understand what I was going through. That's why I wanted to come talk to you and make sure you knew. You're safe here. You have a support system. You have me."

Another short silence ensued before Wildfire eventually added, "I left everything behind. That's actually what brought me up this way. I used to live much farther southwest. But I wandered in this direction and I found Sleeping Dragon." She paused and amended, "Actually, Sleeping Dragon—the commander, specifically—found me."

Her tough exterior began to crumble with every word that was shared. Attempting to get herself under control, Freyja shifted uneasily, the words stinging much more than she had anticipated. Though she was relieved to have such a wonderful support system and to not be alone in all of this a large majority of her being hurt in the wake of what had happened and the silence she had to keep after. As a pause settled between them, and Freyja felt tears pricking at her eyes, she leaned forward so that she could press her head to Wildfire’s shoulder and breathed in heavily as some tears began to fall.

She didn’t want to cry nor did she want to have somebody have such an impact on her existence and, yet, here she was on the brink of tears.

She only pulled back when Wildfire spoke again, blinking rapidly, finding herself quite interested in the other’s tale. “H-How did you find Heda?” she asked, in an attempt to compose herself.

She hadn't anticipated the girl's emotional response, so when she glanced over at Freyja only to find tears in her eyes, Wildfire halted immediately. She encouraged the Feisripa to lean on her, arching her own neck to gently preen at the furs between her ears in a soothing fashion. She felt a little horrible for causing this response and chastised herself for not anticipating it. With that said, it was probably cathartic for Freyja to break down like this and the Bandrona was just glad she could try to be there for her.

The sniffled question surprised a quiet puff of air from her that resembled laughter. "I actually fell into the river and washed up on the shore near here. I've always been very clumsy," Wildfire explained, still nuzzling against Freyja. "Thur actually saved my life," she continued, forgetting not to use the nickname in front of someone else, awe still in her voice as she recollected the events of that day. It had been the beginning of the rest of her life, that was for sure. "Another wolf from Drageda was prepared to execute me but the commander stayed her hand, then took me home."

Wildfire’s story threw her off and, despite her emotional turmoil, she somehow put forth a genuine laugh. She couldn’t have imagined being there when Wildfire had fallen into the river and allowed the image to preoccupy her. She kept herself pressed against the leader, feeling calm despite it all. But, still, even with her elevated mood there was something in the story that stuck out to her like a sore thumb.

“Why did they want to execute you?” She asked, pulling from Wildfire so that she could look at her face.

She anticipated questions, though not this one in particular. Wildfire pondered it a moment before saying, "It happened when tensions were running high between Drageda and another pack. I think she was just being a little overprotective." She shrugged lightly enough to avoid dislodging the leaning Freyja, whose tears had damped her collarbone. She didn't mind. "It wasn't personal and nothing came of it," she reassured her young friend.

After a time, she leaned backward, just far enough to look the youth in the face. "I'm sorry I upset you. It's okay to cry, though." The Bandrona lifted a foreleg to gently pat a silvery shoulder. "Are you tired? Would you like to go back to bed?"

Freyja nodded to Wildfire’s explanation, her curiosity growing in regards to the situation that surrounded the leader’s tale of arrival. “Do you know much about the tensions and what was going on?” She asked, hopeful that Wildfire would be able to fill her in on what had happened.

When the Bandrona went on to apologize, Freyja quickly shook her head in way of a response before adding, “It just hit close to home. I think it was more relief than sadness.” Was it odd that her tears had been used for this manner? She hoped not. “I’ve been feeling alone even though everybody has been so supportive. I’ve been trying to stay strong, too, but it’s hard.” She knew she couldn’t dwell on this for too long and that she had to be in tip-top shape for when her pack needed her.

Pausing for a moment before responding to the second half of Wildfire’s words, Freyja eventually shook her head. “I want to stay with you.”

She didn't appear ready to part ways or sleep yet and Wildfire certainly wouldn't push. Rather, she gestured for Freyja to take a seat, then dropped to her haunches. Although there was still a lot of negative energy broiling within her, she could force it to the back burner for now. She would channel some of it into helping the Feisripa process too.

Once they were both comfortable, the Bandrona said, "You don't have to be strong all the time, Frey. Even as an aspiring leader. I know you probably already know that but it bears repeating." She offered the youth a small smile. "As for those tensions I mentioned..." She trailed off momentarily as she tried to call up the details in her mind. Perhaps a good bedtime story would help Freyja.

"I don't remember all the specifics but there was an issue with a pack called Phoenix Maplewood. Are you familiar with that territory? It's a few miles southeast of here." Wildfire paused. "They were a threat, so Heda told them they couldn't cross the river. That wolf that nearly attacked me thought I was one of them," she explained. "Shortly after I settled in at Drageda, the commander's tolerance ran out and we assembled a front to attack. I joined the group to see if we couldn't reach a peaceful resolution, especially since the leader was actually my half-sister.

When we got there that day, though," Wildfire continued after a beat to let Freyja process everything so far, "they were already gone. They must have sensed the danger and done the smart thing: beat a hasty retreat. As far as I know, nobody knows where they went. I haven't seen Saena since shortly before I came to live here," Wildfire said in a thoughtful voice.

Freyja settled lightly besides Wildfire and soon felt the weight of the spoken words. Frowning, she exhaled and nodded despite the lack of confidence she felt. “I need to be strong for the pack,” she admitted, her gaze breaking from the Bandrona for a moment to settle upon the horizon. She had been picked on so many times by Thyri for being weak and pitiful and the child felt a need to prove her sister wrong.

Her gaze returned as the Ambassador spoke of conflict and the disbanding that resulted. Thankful for the story, as it was really taking her thoughts away from Goliath and the shadow he casted on her life, she delved deeper. “I wonder if they’re still a pack,” she wondered aloud, her tail twitching at the thought. “If not, maybe, they were already not that strong of a pack? It seems odd to disband after being run out of your own territory.” she sniffled after she spoke, her body slowly coming down from the emotional peak that she had breached.

"I wonder too," Wildfire freely admitted. She hoped they were, that Saena had found safer grounds to birth and raise her pups. As a ranger, she could have gone in pursuit of answers to these questions but since they had next to no bearing on Sleeping Dragon any longer, it would largely be a waste of time, even with her vested interest. "Maybe they found somewhere safer to reestablish."

With that story coming to a close, Wildfire couldn't help herself. She felt the need to address Freyja's earlier comment. "The pack needs to be strong for you right now, Frey, not the other way around. You are strong, most of the time, but you need to know it's okay not to be strong one hundred percent of the time. Even Thur, Dio and myself aren't at our best all the time, y'know? We have weaknesses, flaws. We deal with obstacles, pitfalls, drawbacks. I just don't want you thinking you have to be on point at all times. That's just not sustainable."

She stretched to nuzzle the Feisripa's cheek and, unbidden, she pictured Goliath snatching her and dunking her in the river. A ripple of heat passed through her, her hackles prickling momentarily, and she bit back a growl lest Freyja think she was upset with her. Of course she wasn't. Wildfire was not only the girl's mentor but like an aunt, or so she fancied herself.

The possibility of the pack re-settling was a very real possibility given the span of the Teekon wilderness. Perhaps they did and they were out there living happily, but the reality of it all was not as sweet as Freyja had hoped. She sat there, thinking of the pack until Wildfire spoke again and it was only then that the thoughts of the pack of the maplewoods dispersed.

What the Bandrona said next left Freyja speechless for a moment as a sense of disbelief overcame her. “It seems like all of you have it together all the time and I want to be just---” her words were caught off by the pricking of Wildfire’s hackles. Her ears flattened then, searching the other’s expression for an answer to her actions. Was everything okay?

She would have laughed aloud at that notion, if not for the delicacy of the matter. It amused Wildfire enough to smooth down her fur, the moment of anger thankfully forgotten. She favored Freyja with a small smile, chestnut eyes glittering in the dark, then shook her head lightly.

"I'm glad to hear it seems that way," she answered, "but the truth is that we definitely don't always have our stuff together all the time, me especially." She chewed at her lip a moment before elaborating, "For instance, remember how I told you I was having mood swings? I do try not to let it show around most people... but, as you can tell, I'm far from perfect." She gave the child a knowing look, as if to say, Did you see me the other day?

"I'm usually a diplomat. That's what my very title means." Wildfire gazed down at her paws. "But I've been having a hard time controlling my temper lately. And what he did to you..." She swallowed, teeth clenching, the muscles in her jaw jumping. "It just pissed me off horribly, especially knowing how long he got away with it." Her eyes flicked upward, apologetic. "I don't blame you for that, though."

Freyja was calmed as Wildfire was, and the Feisripa quickly re-gained the delicate smile that had previously occupied her face. She nodded as she listened to the Bandrona’s confession, her tail tipping and her eyes kind as she took it all in. With Wildfire’s reassurance, she was all the more convinced that not everybody was perfect all the time.

The leader’s anger seemed to resurface at the mention of Goliath and her happiness fleeted at the very mention of the Gona. Though she did her very best to keep as strong face, she frowned and shifted, unsure how to respond.

“He’s not nice,” she decided eventually, allowing for a heavy pause to settle between them. Her shoulders sagged, as if the weight of the past 48 hours had lifted somewhat. “But, I’m trying to learn that he is not worth the energy I’ve been focusing on him…” she trailed, looking up to the mentor with wide eyes. “But I’m finding that even difficult.”

The Feisripa's comment was perhaps the understatement of the century, which reminded Wildfire of her youth and innocence and made her all the angrier on the inside. On the outside, she tried to cool her jets lest she make Freyja uncomfortable. It sounded like she was having trouble with dwelling and the Bandrona didn't want to contribute to the problem.

"Hey," she said softly, waiting for those doe eyes to meet hers, "do you wanna go kill something?" Her lips twitched. It would be a good way to work out some of their angry energy, not to mention it would serve as a great distraction.

It was as she floundered that Wildfire reached out with a momentary solution that seemed to appease Freyja greatly. She looked up with wide eyes, her eyes glittering. “Yes,” she replied with a newfound sense of confidence, her tail curling at the thought of tearing into a plump piece of prey.

Coming to a stand, Freyja looked at her mentor expectedly. “What should we hunt? Rabbit? Squirrel?” Both options sounded delicious to her,

"Why not both?" Wildfire piped even as she swept to her feet, eager to get the hunt underway. She wasn't actually hungry but she needed this outlet nearly as badly as the Feisripa. "C'mon," she added gently, nudging the pup's neck before swiveling swiftly and breaking into a trot, leading the way toward one of the main game trails crisscrossing Sleeping Dragon territory.

Figured we could fade here? :)

Sounds perfect to me! <3

Nodding, Freyja fell alongside the not-so-perfect Bandrona. Despite this she was very happy to have such a wonderful wolf that was always there for her and she hoped that in turn she could be there for Wildfire. Pleased with the distraction, Freyja forgot about it all for a while in favor of a night out with her mentor and soon enough the duo got out their rage and filled their bellies.