Swiftcurrent Creek by and bye

Only one other, please. :)

Haunter seemed to have made good on his original promise to not stick around past the spring. His scent had faded from the den, and it suddenly felt rather large for one tiny yearling. To fix this, Fox had brought in an assortment of various objects from sticks to dried flowers to old skulls and bones. With these, she filled the emptier parts of the den, taking her time to arrange things in a manner that she felt was pleasing. This went on for two days, her coming back to the den and moving this object here, replacing this one with something else entirely.

Still, she did not feel particularly satisfied with the arrangement, and today was the third day that she relentlessly rearranged the objects in her den. Taking a break from it, she crawled out of the hole and made her way to the creek, looking a little more tired and frazzled than before. While she would never admit it, she did miss the one-eared fool. Some small part of her had expected him to stick around, although deep down, she had always known that he would leave. It was in his nature, and one tiny red yearling could not change a mind as set as that one.

Stopping at the water's edge on that warm afternoon, Fox bent down to lap up the cool water of her home's namesake.

Jace had woken in the early morning his mind plagued with darkness and sadness. A homesickness so deep welled inside him that he could not fully function. He did his daily duties his filling of the caches, his patrolling of the borders, but nothing seemed to help so with fire in his blue blue eyes and a pain in his heart he had ran. He ran for miles on the pack land to and fro eyes straight ahead, mind churning as images of his mother is sister and his father all welled up and danced across his mind's eye. He missed them but he would not go back. He would not back down from this journey to find his last name, a last name that still nothing eluded too nothing. As he ran and his muscles began to fail he made it to the river only to find he was not alone.

Panting with exertion his muscles trembling and cold blue eyes of ice fire danced across the ground he noticed his leader the little red fox and he bowed his head averted his eyes and lowered himself in front of her though not so far down for fear he would not get back up on this day. "Hello Fox." He whispered on a pant. His shoulder burned from running he leaned over to lick at it, he had pulled the wound open from his fight with the coyotes. It had been the first life he had taken in the throes of battle and to say that he did not think on it often would be a cruel injustice and a lie. He was not as upset as he thought he would be though realizing that he had protected his pack, his new home and perhaps someday his new family.

Jace approached, looking a little worse for the wear. It seemed he had been roughed up the worse out of the lot that had fought off the coyotes, and Fox gave him a concerned look as he greeted her and began tending to one of his wounds. It was times like this when Fox wished that Lecter was still around... no matter how "off" he had been. The old man was a damn good healer, and it was a shame that they'd lost him. Still, Fox knew the bare-bones basics of what needed to be done. Keep the wound clean, rest, and keep yourself well-fed and hydrated.

“Let me help you with that,” she insisted, not waiting for him to give her permission before stepping toward him and nudging his nose out of the way. Gingerly, she let her tongue slide over the wound. It was a gesture of friendship and gratitude for his help in fending off the intruders from their home. Pulling her head back, she inquired on what he had been doing to help himself. “Have you been resting? Eating enough? Keeping yourself hydrated?” They were simple questions, but ones she thought were important. Fox went back to licking his wounds for him, ears poised to listen to his answers.

As was his father's curse when someone that Jace was taking care of or protecting was in danger he did not think of his own safety and he would suffer wounds for it. This would be an ever occurring thing with him as it was with his father. The shoulder did not bother him so much it only had because he had been running all morning.

Jace looked down at her with wide blue eyes not used to being the one getting taken care of. His father and he had always done the caring of others. Of course his mother and sister had cared for them, but it had always been him and his father that shouldered most of the responsibility and care. A small smile hovered over his mouth a crooked one sided one that gave him a coltish boyish look below his year. Yes, yes and yes I also put some Yarrow on the wound, but I have wore it off with my daily run though today I ran more than I usual do everyday. How about you Fox? How are you faring?

“Hmm,” she muttered, “That does not sound like you’ve been resting at all.” Daily run? If anything, he should be taking it easy and getting as much down-time as possible. The borders would be well-protected, despite the absence of Haunter. Stepping away from Jace, feeling that she'd done an adequate job of cleaning his wound, she cocked her head to one side. “You aren’t going to get better without rest. I need you to be fit and healthy in case they come back again.” Her tone was stern, though there was a hint of softness to it.

Knowing he had asked how she was doing, she figured she had better answer that question as well. “And I’m doing fine. The damn thing just gave me some bruises. Nothing serious.” Fox had rested for a day and felt better for it, but she was so used to injury now she hardly noticed it unless it was a major one. Thankfully, there had been plenty of Swiftcurrent wolves to ward of the pack of coyotes that had come knocking at their door.

Jace laid back his ears for a moment, in embarassment rather than anger and shifted his feet. "I am sorry it is a habit I have a hard time breaking, but I will do my best to break it until I heal. He was more worried about stopping running and then once he was healed being too lazy to start running again, but he would just have to make himself do it. "I will be ready for them if they should decide to come back though I certainly hope they are not that stupid nor foolish. If they were that stupid they all deserved what that had coming to them.

Jace dipped his head "I am glad that you came out of it no worse for the wear. I would have felt pretty bad if you had been hurt any worse. Are you enjoying the day so far Fox? He felt the need to prolong the conversation even if it was to get to know his leader a little better. He found he was curious about his pack mates, all of them.

“Good,” she replied when he promised to try and take it even easier. “Although I think it is doubtful that they will return. I know that I would not return to a place that promised death.” A strong pack of wolves was no match for some unorganized mangy coyotes. They had shown them once that they were not to be trifled with, and Fox knew that the creek would stand against the vermin if they ever did decide it was a good idea to return.

“Hm?” she asked, but then realized his question and pondered for a moment. “It’s a good a day as any.” In truth, she yearned for Haunter's return, but she knew it was a lost cause. He was gone, and there was no getting him back. It was upsetting that her best prospect for offspring had departed, for she would have to find a new one come next year. She had plenty of time, of course, and she would have her children one way or another.

Jace shook his head Neither would I. Well if they do come back I'll gladly dole out the the death sentence for you and the pack. that was all he said he would do it without the pack if they preferred he would be the only one with blood on his paws then. However, the pack was strong and all were able-bodied and would kill on site the coyotes.

Jace saw her thinking and he wondered what put the line between her brows, but he was unsure if he could ask. He tilted his head and nodded "Yes this is true, but may I inquire Fox. What has put the worry line between your brows? Is all okay? No one hurt you did they? he would gladly wound another for hurting his alpha she may not be his friend or even relatively close to him, but the bottom line was that she was his alpha and therefore he owed his loyalty to her.

Feel free to fade out in your next post. :)

“I assure you, it’s nothing,” she replied. Jace and she were not close enough for her to divulge her more personal thoughts, despite the fact that they were pack-mates. Fox guarded herself closely, and she did not allow others to see her deeper emotions without less than a strong friendly bond. No, this was a subject she would likely seek out Tuwawi for. The girl was older, and perhaps she had some good words for the yearling who was still figuring this whole "life" thing out.

“Would you like to accompany me at the border?” she asked, ready to head out and ensure that no coyotes (or other malicious creatures) were lurking there. Even if he decided not to follow, she would still need to get out there. “We can go slow to ensure you don’t injure yourself further,” she added, referring to his recent wounds.

Jace nodded his head, he hadn't meant emotionally or mentally though when he had asked he meant physical more or less. It didn't bother him that she did not wish to divulge any personal information. Who was he, nothing really other than a subordinate someone to follow she who lead. It was that simple and he was okay with that.

Jace tilted his ears forward to catch her question "Certainly I'll go with you and we don't have to go so very slow. It doesn't pain me all that much truly. He motioned for her to go ahead and he stepped into step beside her, intent upon patrolling the borders for the morning at least.

Exit Jace.