Horizon Ridge Easy does it lost and found

@Ragnar

Blue Willow had decided to leave the pack lands at the moment to hunt for Crete for her friends. She had tracked him this far to the forest and then his trail ran cold. She smelled another wolf there though it was faint and waning, but she tried to follow that smell and it brought her to another packs lands. She followed the border up and down, but did not smell Crete, though she smelled the other wolf she had scented though it was light as if it was from transference rather than from the actual wolf.

She sat well outside of the pack lands and lifting her nose to the sky she let out a howl for any and all to come answer her inquiry from this pack. She hoped she could find out what happened to Crete and if someone had seen him. She was hoping if she could find him it may give Osprey some morale as well.

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Thistle’s pregnancy was progressing Ragnar watched with equal mixtures of fascination and pride as her sides grew rounder what seemed to be each day. With each sigh of discomfort that left his young wife’s lips Ragnar felt the anticipation for something bad to happen rush and slam against his chest like someone had their teeth wrapped around his heart and lungs. Not having any other pregnancy experience to go off of aside from Dagmar’s which had gone so wrong left Ragnar seeing doom signs in small, normal signs. Despite this he did not fuss needlessly over Thistle, trusting for her to listen to her body and to tell him if something felt wrong. Or, he recalled, maybe she wouldn’t after hearing that he had blamed Dagmar for his miscarriage and then promptly shipped her off to the neighboring pack’s Alpha who had had his eye on her for a while. Ragnar cared for Thistle - not just the babes growing within her womb - there was a major difference between the two girls’ marriage to him. Regardless, he hunted for three now (giving two hares to her since she was feeding more than just herself) before he went about his patrols.

It was during this usual patrol that a call rose up, breaking Ragnar free of this thoughts. The Viking warden wasted no time moving towards the origins of the call, slowing when he came upon the ebony cloaked woman at their borders. Icy, Caribbean blue eyes assessed her once as his leathery, black nostrils widened as he inhaled her scent. It was a scent he knew only because it was very similar to the scent laced with Crete’s musk that had clung to Thistle’s fur after their coupling fresh into her season. The Plateau. Ragnar found her presence here curious and wondered, perhaps with a sneaking suspicion if this was about their Crete. “What can I do for you?” Ragnar greeted her lowering his head as a sign of respect because he was not sure what their standings were with the Plateau but they were neighbors, nevertheless. Ragnar had never been one for alliances but he respected his immediate neighbors. The far off ones that they targeted come raiding season: were a different story, of course.

Blue willow did not know this wolf, but when he came near she smelled the wolf's scent she had followed her that had been scant near Crete's. She knew at that smell she was going to have to tread very lightly here, as he was probably the other wolf's mate. ANd though she did not know the reason behind the two scents mingling in the forest she could deduce enough and given the season t ofigure it out and if that was the case well this male may not really like her here. She sighed and for a moment a tendril of irritation and anger came forth for crete.

She returned the gesture she stayed in neutral position though she did avert her eyes. The wolf in front of her was largely scarred and he silvery fur was a huge contrast to her's but she smiled and offered him a greeting "Hello I am Blue Willow Beta and healer of the Plateau. I am sorry to call you from your duties, but I come looking for one of our numbers that has disappeared. Normally I would not do so and let them go on their way, but there are a few in my home that are very close and miss him. His name is Crete perchance you have seen him?

He was not, initially, there to make judgments based upon the Plateau’s delegate random and rather sudden appearance at Horizon Ridge’s borders, and yet judgments and assumptions were being made, regardless. What else would cause her to be there if not for the secret and unlawful tryst between Thistle and the Plateau’s Crete. His name was still thought with razor edged spite that still caused envy to rear it’s ugly head within Ragnar’s chest though he tried not to think about it. Yet, the Viking could not help it. Thistle and his mateship was not founded on love, and the savage was left wondering if she was thinking about him - her one night lover when she was silent, her eyes distant. Perhaps she wasn’t, but there was always the chance that she was and that bothered Ragnar more than he cared to admit. The ebony Plateau wolf returned his greeting and the Warden was silent and stoic as she introduced herself and got straight - a quality he admired - to the point of her visit.

And like a viper that finally rose and struck out at him there it appeared. It. His name. Crete. Tail flicked errantly behind his hind haunches in controlled irritation. There was no part of Ragnar that felt any measurable sort of relief that his suspicions were proven correct. However, it seemed like such a long ago thing - why was the Plateau only now sending out a envoy on the Crete’s behalf? “I have never seen him, no,” Ragnar told Blue Willow giving her a heavy lidded look as he sighed. “But I have heard of him.” He admitted shortly after his sigh, wondering if it was wise to share with her what he planned to do to Crete if the ex-Plateau wolf ever showed up at their borders. “I know of him because he slept with my wife during her heat season.” Of course, Thistle hadn’t been his wife at that time - in all reality he wouldn’t have even considered them friends at that point but that didn’t matter anyway. Thistle was Ragnar’s wife now and that was what truly mattered. “She may be pregnant by him, or by me. It is impossible to know.” Ragnar admitted figuring she had a right to know that Thistle wasn’t the only guilty one in that whole thing. It took two to procreate. “Even if the babes are his, if he comes back to you, he is not welcome to see them, or her and you can tell him that if he has a problem with it he can come see me personally.” Nevermind that if that were to happen Ragnar would slaughter the mute.

Again, that was not something Blue Willow needed to know. Ragnar’s discontent was not with her - nor her pack - just Crete.

Blue Willow gasped at the other's admission and she sighed and she became very angry with Crete for she was to not know that the other had not been his wife a the time. "I am sorry that he did that to to your wife he should not have had relations with another's mate. her thoughts ran like wildfire as she tried to control them. Why would Crete do that and to another's mate of all things. What had he been thinking and why would he jeopardize his brothers pack so. For if they had wanted this pack could have very well have gone a hunting of him. She tilted her head and sighed again "i have not seen him for some time, though if I do see him I will let him know that he is not welcome here. I hope your wife is well. She wrinkled her nose unsure what else to say so she spoke again. I do not wish to cause strife, but he does have family in the plateau, if they prove to be his though your's by right I think they would like to know. However, I would not like to be the messenger, when I think it should come from your wife and perhaps you? She titled her head realizing that she was playing with fire at the last part and she did not blame the male at all if he did not want to even go near the plateau, but by rights if they were Cretes then his family had a right to know after all it was only fair. She was fairly certain that they would be more upset with Crete than This Thistle but she was not 100 percent sure and she surely did not want to be the messenger in this case unless she had to be.

The ebony female let out a sharp intake of breath of what Ragnar assumed to be surprise at the Viking’s words. Granted, they were not precisely true and perhaps it was wrong of him to stretch the truth such as he had but he wanted to smudge Crete’s name because he did not want to see the Plateau male get off scotch free even though Thistle had not been Ragnar’s mate at the time and that it had been consented on both sides. Why should Thistle and the babes bear all of the punishment while Crete got off on a Get Out Of Jail Free pass because he appeared to have vanished off the face of the earth. In the truth of things, Ragnar doubted Pump or any of the Ridge’s members cared either way in regards to what happened to Crete and in a way Ragnar himself did not care but he wanted some kind of vengeance even if it was out of nothing but his own jealousy and spite that Crete had claimed Thistle before Ragnar had staked his own claim. Of course, unlike her mute one night lover Ragnar had every intention of staying with Thistle but that was his gain and Crete’s loss. “He should not have came near her. It was her first season, her first time experiencing it.” If Crete hadn’t…it could have very well been Ragnar’s seed that had taken. It didn’t matter to the Viking - the babes were his even if they could not claim biological blood. Family was family and Ragnar planned to be the only father they knew.

“She is handling her pregnancy well,” Ragnar spoke in response to the Plateau woman’s well wishes. “With all due respect I intend to be the only father they know of,” It was his right - as she had stated - and he would love them endlessly. “But to show that I hold nothing against the Plateau or his family I will make a trip to the Plateau to let them know of the possibility,” While Blue Willow seemed hesitant, Ragnar did not share in her trepidation. He would have no issue with going to Crete’s family and telling them what had transpired and that his children may be blood related to them, though the Viking had yet to know if he intended to let them around the babes or not - besides that was only as good as if Pump approved of it given the finality and non negotiable dictations their hybrid leader had set down upon the babes. “Is there anyone in particular I should call for when I make that trip?” He inquired of her next.

Blue Willow frowned and was even more upset with Crete. Though she was only getting part of the story, she really thought he had done a huge faux pas. What had he been thinking? Perhaps he hadn't been thinking she knew that such scents during season could make you heedy and you would go crazy with your feral instincts but still he probably could have kept his head on right and not caused such strife. Though in his defense there had been something going on with him before he disappeared he and Hawkeye, so maybe he was just not in his right mind. However, she would never know now unless she found him which she doubted she would. Blue Willow nodded her head I am glad she is doing well. She did not blame him for the fact of wanting them to be his and not know anyone else. She would probably want that if she was in the same situation as he was. She tilthed head appreciative of the fact that he was willilng to take the high road though a deep betrayal had been put on to him. "He has two brothers and a sister in the pack any would be fine. There is Osprey that is his sister, Atticus or our Alpha male Peregrine. Any three would be there, though I cannot promise how they would take it or that they would even listen. I do want to apologize again though for this ordeal. Though it was not her fault or her places amends still needed made.

I literally just realized that Ragnar never gives his name to anyone at the borders. xD I think the only reason others know it is because someone else has introduced him, lol. :p

Watching the Plateau woman’s expressions dance across her face, muted anger, irritation and maybe even disbelief was a small satisfaction to the Viking as he saw how his words ruined the saintly mute fool from the Plateau. Part of Ragnar’s desire for revenge and vengeance on Thistle’s behalf was his jealousy but also because the more he thought about it the more he came to realize that while Crete had not taken Thistle without her consent he had taken advantage of her and then bailed knowing that babes would be the outcome of it unless one of them were infertile which did not seem to be the case. “I don’t want this to cause any trouble between our packs, my vendetta with your Crete is only personal and does not extend to anyone else. I am not sure where the Ridge and the Plateau stand,” There hadn’t been much time to talk about it with Pump and even then Ragnar wasn’t sure she knew. Perhaps his visit to the Plateau would be better if made with their Alpha Male (who also doubled as Crete’s brother, nicely). Of course, Ragnar was in no position to offer an alliance or even a friendship for he was not a leader of the Ridge but as the closest neighbors they should be made aware of the events that had recently transpired.

“I do not know that I wish to drag Thistle into that if she may face scrutiny from them. Even though from what I know it was consented on both sides he still took advantage of her. She was confident that it would not even result in pups and denied it up until the obvious signs showed. She is young,” Younger than his three going on four years, and perhaps, not as educated as Ragnar had first assumed she had been upon their first meeting. “Without her I guess I have no proof of my claim but it is not something I would lie about,” The Viking murmured in a softened, thoughtful tone. “You claim that they may not listen yet, you take my words for the truth that they are without a question. Why is that?” Because if she knew something that would be beneficial to him for that visit it was worth it to know.

She tilted her head a she spoke and yes the unspoken outrage was poignant on her face. She was also deeply upset at his behavior. The girl was young and if she had no females around she was not know that it would have such an effect on her. One tended to lose their mind when in heat. Though Blue only had one to her name this far, she knew that it was hard to handle if you didn't have anyone to explain it to you, and perhaps her mother had but not well or perhaps it had been explained when she was far to young to grasp the situation, whatever the case maybe it did not condone the lack of judgement on both parts, but especially Crete's. I believe we are neutral. However I could be wrong. I'll have to inquire myself when I get home. Blue WIllow listened calmly and though she agreed with him that it would be hard to put the girl through it. The fact of the matter was still that she had to take responsibility of it, however she could not blame the male for wanting to protect his mate and based on the scars on the brute he was most definately a warrior and protected what was his. She was actually surprised that Crete was not dead at this one's paw, he still could be but she refused to dwell on that idea so much as she did not like the unpleasantness of it. Blue Willow frowned in thought and spoke quietly It is up to you and she if you bring her. I believe you because I have no reason not too, however I am also a neutral party I was not exceptionally close to Crete like his family. Therefore, maybe I misspoke rather than not listen they maybe to upset and outraged at him and the situation to listen does that make sense? She hoped that she was explaining herself correctly, she did not think that Peregrine or any of the others would be mean outright, but they maybe rude without meaning to be because of the precarious situation.

We finally have power so I will be replying like a mad person now! :D Maybe one more post for each of us and we can archive? Also, Blue Willow doesn't have to be present for that meeting of Ragnar and Crete's family if you don't want her to be. :p Also, I wasn't sure if you wanted to bring Thistle along for it or not - you don't have too. I was just gonna have Ragnar tell her he's leaving for a couple days. xD

Ragnar never often considered the experience or in Thistle’s case her lack of when it came to his mates because he had no true preference as to if they had known another man intimately or not. Except in this situation, given his rapidly growing affection for his fawn colored shield maiden (and his fear of therefore) he almost wished that he could claim that he was her first. However, he could not and there was no way to ever erase Crete’s initial claim though Ragnar was determined to try. To erase it from her body and her mind because her mute lover was never going to come back to her, did not deserve too even if Ragnar had to see to it himself. The Plateau male’s life meant nothing to him and would only prove to be a rather good sacrifice should Crete ever have returned. “Many things have changed that I believe you as our closest neighbors should be aware of, the past is a distant one now,” Rather told the Plateau female elusively, figuring if she wished to know more she could either be present at that meeting or inquire upon it further in private with him.

“I see,” Ragnar drew thoughtfully when Blue Willow revised her wording. No doubt this situation would be needed to handle with delicacy and Ragnar was suddenly grateful for his time as Jarl, allowing him to know diplomacy though it had been a while since he had found the need to use it. He had never been perfectly diplomatic, of course, for there was nothing overly diplomatic about catching a pack off guard by raiding it while they were least expecting it. It was something Ragnar would have gladly done if Pump were to allow him and a team too but the Ridge was too small and he could not do it alone, though he had the intentions of teaching his and Thistle’s sons to raid when they reached the appropriate age. Ragnar gave a pregnant pause for a moment as he considered his options, before he spoke to her again, “Would you mind waiting at the edge of Ravensblood Forest,” He gestured with his muzzle, “For me? I would accompany you home …but I must speak with my wife first. If she will not go with me, would you mind staying to verify my words in case they are not believed?” Ragnar understood it was a lot to ask the Plateau woman, especially since she had strictly told him she did not want to be the messenger but he did not want to go without some kind of proof be it Thistle (whom he dearly hoped would refuse his offer but somehow he doubted it) or Blue Willow’s testimony. "Of course your presence would be welcomed even if she does come. They might still not believe it even if they see her." Yet, there was a chance Blue Willow might be able to convince them that his words were true if they didn't believe initially.

You didn't have power in the hotel? Or you were in the hotel because you didn't have power? Blue Willow will go with you though she will probably just stand there for support cause she hasn't seen Thistle herself so she can't fully offer the proof that maybe needed :D. Or I might send Thistle as I had meant to send her anyway, but we will see how this plays out ICLY :)

Blue tilted her head what had he meant. Granted she did not that much about the ridge as it was or any packs really other than her own. They stuck to themselves as far as she knew. "What do you mean? Did things change in the ridge? Blue Willow hoped the other male understood that he would have to be very careful here. Peregrine and Hawkeye were good leaders, she felt Peregrine was better, but only because she got along with him more and she saw him more at the moment. However, the two of them were extremely savage in their protection of the borders and the like. Blue Willow nodded her head "Yes I will wait for you there. She shifted her paws waiting to see if he had anything else to add.

Nah, I was at the hotel because they cut the power to my house on accident. They were supposed to be cutting the power to the house behind me but got the houses mixed up. xD

Ragnar was not very big on alliances, had never been very accepting of the idea that other wolf packs seemed to cling too like a small, frightened child clinging to it’s parents’ leg. It was stupid to form an alliance with a pack only to know that in a few months time you were going to be intruding upon their land, slaughtering and taking hostage their wolves in a raid. Her lack of knowledge given the disappearance of the boy king whose name Ragnar no longer remembered, the ascension of Pump, and the landslide did not exactly surprise Ragnar given that no one had really been out of Horizon Ridge since then and even so they had not sought to spread the news. “Many things have changed,” Ragnar confirmed quietly, reluctant to share more unknowing that he was speaking to the Plateau’s Beta Female (Tokio is not sure if she was Beta at the time of this thread or not). “I will explain later if you wish to know.” The Viking promised her.

It would be a promise he intended to keep, however, he needed to seek out Thistle, now. She, at least, needed to know where he was going and why and he suspected that she would likely wish to tag along though he was going to try to talk her out of it. “I will meet you before the sun sets, this should not take me too long.” He was entirely confident as he said that but setting a time constraint would make him less likely to give into his wife if she should convince him otherwise. With those words, Ragnar turned back and headed into the heart of the Ridge.

Blue willow nodded "Okay and you do not need to explain if you do not want to either. I understand that packs have their own secrets and it does not do good to know too much about each other. This much she knew could be disastrous if another pack knew too much about another. Blue Willow smiled at him and nodded then with a swift turn she bounded towards the forest ready to wait quietly for him.