Lost Creek Hollow why would you lie, why would you lie about how you feel?

for @Fire <3

since the incident, a lot had changed. just before the incident, a lot had changed. for one, their ranks were filled to the brim with able-bodies. the valley's merge was helpful and harmful. it meant more mouths to feed, but it meant there were more wolves to hunt prey. if they could track down a herd, perhaps they would be incredibly successful at taking more than usual down.

terance thought a lot about this. it was a good distraction.

the man traversed the southern border, nearing the edge they shared with easthollow. his tail swung at his hocks, large paws crunching against the brightly colored leaves underfoot. despite the chaos that ensued around him in the previous days, this was peaceful. terance, distracted enough in this moment, was peaceful. 

he marked a large trunk to his right, pausing to shake out his thick coat, and stared out into the neutral lands. his nose twitched, and then he continued on.

She hadn't decided if she was going home.  It wasn't anything against the Redhawks, really, but she didn't know what home meant to her anymore.  There was no potential for her there; Caiaphas had been right.  All of the men were related to her, except for that one boy who was Niamh's brother, and watching the love of her life stay hitched to a guy she was pretty sure wasn't crazy about her and probably didn't give a damn she was gone wasn't exactly something that cried "come home" to her.

And maybe it was better to let them remember her for what she had been instead of see the twisted thing she'd warped into.  She was no good then, and only worse now.

But she still had the same workaholic attitude, and she set about the fresh borders to help maintain them and keep them secure.  Only the sounds of footfall drew her from her introspection, and she kept her gaze low as soon as she realized it was the beta-turned-alpha, who she didn't know the name of.

Maybe Ceara would've called out to him, but Phoenix wouldn't.  Not yet.  She wasn't ready.  So instead she fell back to allow him to pass her or question her or — well, whatever.

and terance didn't know her name either. he'd asked indra for a list of names at the border, but the valley had brought forth quite a few members, and a few of their names were muddied together. but he spotted her, and at least recognized her enough to know that this was in fact one of his wolves. so he called out, a low chuff and a friendly few flags of his tail, to join him along the borders.

she would be another distraction, perhaps. the valley wolves didn't know rannoch well enough to want to talk about it-- at least he didn't think. he hoped she'd have more to say than that, anyhow. if she would approach him, terance would ask. "are you settling in alright?"

He's nice.  Nicer than he should be, by all accounts.  She has shown up to his borders smelling of the enemy, and asked for them to house her until she's well enough to return home.  Presumably, because that's what Athena asked Chan for a thread for earlier.

But now that guy was maybe dead, and this guy was maybe the alpha, and she was sure he hadn't asked for any of this.  She didn't even know about the ex-wife and kids thing.  

It perplexes her.  Um, yeah, I am, um.  Fucking idiot.  Sorry, I've.  It's been.. a wild ride.  Sure.  Thank you.  Are you dealing with everything okay?  I'm trying to help out the best I can while I'm here.

terance shook his head. not in a 'no i'm not okay' way, but in a 'this is not a conversation for now' way. "it's not been easy, but i can't do anything about it," he answered, a thin smile pressing to his lips, "i will be fine, though, thank you." her sentiment meant enough to him, but he didn't want her pity. 

"could i get your name, again, though?" he asked, almost sheepishly, ears flicking to the side, "mine is terance-- redleaf-disarrino." he wasn't sure why he bothered with the last name. maybe it was important as an alpha, but it'd been a while since he'd used it. he added with a bit of a playful tone, "i'm not usually this forgetful, i promise."

He shut her down quickly and she felt shame rise to her cheeks.  It wasn't her place to pry, and he was right.  They couldn't do anything about it.  She casts her eye aside, then looks back at him when he asks for her name.  Phoenix Blackthorn.  It's almost automatic now, but she won't be Ceara.  Not when she can start over and forget all of her fucking.. self.  

It's okay.  I'm not usually this uh, fucking stupid, even though you totally are this fucking stupid I'm usually more articulate than this.  I just.  It doesn't matter.  But hey, it's all good.

She breathes in and sighs.  It's a little brighter today than it has been.  Or maybe it's just her.  The whole "being trapped underground" thing would totally do that to you.  Good day for a patrol.

she seemed to stumble over her words. terance himself was not good with words, choosing to use few or to stumble over them himself. he leaned forward to gently touch his shoulder with his nose. unless she'd flinch, if she'd do so terance would not push into her personal space. he knew better. "it's okay. i understand," he reassured her, tacking on, "i've had my own fair share of trouble with titmouse. i'm sorry he's taken it this far." and then he dropped it. because she'd dropped his conversation.

"you're right," terance returned, his tail flicking curiously as the pair moved along the borders. it was, but to terance, every day was a good day to patrol. "the cold weather brings rain-- i'm surprised it's so clear," he added, rather stupidly. the two of them were talking about the weather, of all things. stupid. terance wishes he could bring up something else-- but he finds he only wants to talk about titmouse. but he finds he can't do that. 

"how do you know indra?" he decides to ask instead.

He calls Screech something she doesn't recognize, and her eyebrows scrunch.  Titmouse? she questions, and then freezes as he touches her.  She's not used to this kind of friendliness and she's not sure that she likes it.  She would've, once, when she considered herself attractive and eligible and not so stupid and broken.  She doesn't like to think of herself as broken, but she knows no boy is going to fix it.  Um, I don't.  I ran into her right after I left Blackfeather, when they were on their way here.  She didn't say much, but she didn't chase me off when I followed.  She's lucky she found her way here and not somewhere else, she guesses.

terance hesitated. "screech, maybe? i think he has multiple names," he said, and then shook his head, "we don't have to talk about it, i'm sorry i brought it up." moron. terance moved past it, regardless, focusing instead of phoenix and her relationship to his friend. 

it seemed they didn't know each other at all, which hit terance as something of a surprise. "oh," he said idly, ears pressing forwards, "well, we're glad to have you. you're welcome in the hollow for as long as you need, phoenix." and he meant that. 

:L sorry for such a dumbass post.