Whitefish River Red Bull and minivans
I'M JUST A BELIEVER THAT THINGS WILL GET BETTER
i don't wanna let it go
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#1
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@Winterbourne
+ stinky patrol thread

So, now Kaistleoki is an Official Thing.

Evergreen can't help how excited he is. Sure, he worries (a lot), but... this is what Thistle and he had been after all along. Despite being too late to share it with his beloved sister, this is a step in the right direction. While there is still much to do, he feels... at home here. He has a purpose.

Too hyped to sleep another second, the bear rises with the sun. He is quiet to keep from waking up anyone else, but he needs to stretch his legs, and what better way to do so than to patrol and mark his new domain. Evergreen wanders along the edge of Whitefish River, pausing every once in awhile to pee on a tree or rock.
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#2
Trivial things do not catch the boy's attention as often as they used to; he doesn't do things like marvel at the stars or wonder about towering trees and fathomless waters, as he did when he was much younger. The young Corten's ability to read the world's poetry faded some time ago, perhaps consumed by the flames that had taken his birthplace — but sometimes, he catches the barest hint of a phrase.
Today it is in the shimmering reflection of sunlight across the river's rippling surface, in the way it burns him to focus on the brilliant silver flashes. He wonders if it could be a metaphor for love or something. It's pretty, but it hurts, he thinks, pleased with his own genius. His steps slow to a stop as his thoughts of love and hurt take the shape of a memory, sharp and unwanted. He stiffens, air leaving his lungs as the memory swallows him whole — and for a few moments, he sees nothing of the world around him.
Winterbourne's voice is low and raspy due to a throat injury during his childhood, and it can sometimes be difficult to understand him.
I'M JUST A BELIEVER THAT THINGS WILL GET BETTER
i don't wanna let it go
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#3
His. Theirs.

Possession is a distant concept, something the bear has humored in passing. Certainly, he wishes to keep individuals safe, and yet, never had he a territory to stake claim on. Broad chest puffs with pride, each step gaining confidence until Evergreen practically marches across the borders. Now all he needs is a music to match his strides to.

Alas, upon their doorstep lingers yet another soul. This one, too, seeming fascinated by the river. Evergreen can relate to that, especially during this time of day, when the colors of the sky reflect. His jaws part, eyebrows furrow, and he lingers with his mouth unclasped until a gasp escapes him.

“Oh! I know you.” Eyebrows lift, surprise consuming the bearish wolf’s expression. Slowly a smile curves across the dark of his muzzle. “Uhmmm… Winter…” ‘Winterborn?’ That didn’t sound quite right. “Winterbourne, right?”
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#4
His trance isn't quite broken by the voice cutting through the air, but the interruption is enough disturbance to draw him, at least partially, back to reality. His gaze is glassy and unfocused as it finds the male, not quite registering the familiarity of his features — but he recognizes his name falling from the other wolf's lips. Who...? He swallows, suddenly nauseous, and takes a single step back. The world spins in response, and he struggles to steady himself. His gaze drops, breath quickening, and the silver boy is lost again.
Winterbourne's voice is low and raspy due to a throat injury during his childhood, and it can sometimes be difficult to understand him.
I'M JUST A BELIEVER THAT THINGS WILL GET BETTER
i don't wanna let it go
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#5
At first, Evergreen is oblivious; his excitement grows, warming his chest for it seems as if wolves he’s met in the past continue to find their way back to them. While he remembers the boy as quiet and reluctant, Winterbourne still helped him, and for that, he’s ever grateful…

But it clicks that something is amiss. The greyscale male focuses on a realm beyond their own. Eyebrows furrow, Evergreen deflates, and motherly concern overtakes him once more. He steps forward, uncertain if approaching him is a bad idea. Yet there is the possibility of it anchoring him back, or finding out what ails him.

“Uh, it’s… Evergreen, we met in the caverns in the, uh, mountains a while ago.” He can’t fault him if he does not remember. It’s more important that he… figures out what’s wrong. Winterbourne’s quickened breaths make resistance difficult, and the bear strides forward. Hesitantly, he presses his large nose gently to the silver boy’s shoulder.

“Wanna sit with me?” ‘Please sit.’ Eve does so on cue, trying to calm the concern rising in his stomach—and settle the worry that no doubt clouds his mismatched green eyes.
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#6
The male's approach goes unnoticed at first, though Winterbourne tenses instinctively; no one has come this near to him with good intentions in a very long time. But the verbal response he receives is unexpectedly soothing, offering something familiar — a name. Evergreen, He repeats slowly, sucking in a sharp breath when the other is suddenly too close, touching him. His lips peel back, teeth exposed in silent warning for a moment before Evergreen's next words register. The expression drops, and he sits. Okay, He says a little belatedly, blinking as he tries to focus on Evergreen.
Winterbourne's voice is low and raspy due to a throat injury during his childhood, and it can sometimes be difficult to understand him.
I'M JUST A BELIEVER THAT THINGS WILL GET BETTER
i don't wanna let it go
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Apologetic, Evergreen removes the touch without delay—a low whimper rumbles in his throat, to further express he is no threat. The innocent touch simply an attempt to comfort, but he knows not all are fond of physical affection—perhaps he has gotten too used to Chai and Sindri’s greetings.

Relief, however, floods him in one fell swoop as the silver boy follows his lead. He takes a seat next to him, and Evergreen’s tail wags. “That’s better,” he comments, pride filling his voice. Although Winterbourne still seems off, he is at least trying to give Eve his attention. But shit, that means he should talk about something. If he could, he would be sweating bullets right now.

Words are difficult, when he helped Alarian, and Olvida, it was… easier?

“So, uh, what brings you out here?”
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#8
For a few moments, he can only blink in response, ears twitching almost imperceptibly as he struggles to focus on Evergreen's words. I um... He swallows, ears pinning to his skull. My pack chased me out. The words spill from him before he can stop them, but he can't bring himself to regret the moment of vulnerability — not yet, at least. Heat blooms across his cheeks and under his eyelids, and he fights the sudden urge to cry. He still feels blurry and unfocused, and now the reality of his break down is setting in: this is all his own fault, and he deserves every second.
Winterbourne's voice is low and raspy due to a throat injury during his childhood, and it can sometimes be difficult to understand him.
I'M JUST A BELIEVER THAT THINGS WILL GET BETTER
i don't wanna let it go
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#9
‘Chased him out?’

Evergreen can’t help it. It rips at his heart. His face opens in shock, ears pointing towards the sorrowful silver male and mouth going agape once more. Mismatched green eyes stare, wide with concern.

“Oh Winterbourne,” he whispers; his emotions slipping into his voice. No matter how much Evergreen attempts to resist, they overflow when it comes to others. Anchoring himself, he tries to keep from invading Winterbourne’s personal space again. “Why would they do that? No one deserves to be chased from their home…”

Regardless of their reasoning, he now sees a broken man sitting alone by the river side; a home lost. “Hey, I’ll be with you. I mean, if you want…. that is? I… this is my home, and you’re welcome here.”
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#10
Evergreen's reaction only intensifies the heat in his face, and his gaze drops again. He sucks in another sharp breath when the man asks why, prepared to snap back that it's none of his business — but then the rest of his words register, and he pauses. The offer isn't at all what he'd expected, and he knows he shouldn't trust it from a relative stranger — but he can't deny the surge of longing in his chest, either. Why? He finds himself asking before he can even think about it, honey eyes flitting up and sharpening as if he is truly seeing Evergreen for the first time. Such kindness has never come to him without a price; raw and beaten as he still feels from the last price he'd paid, he can't bring himself to trust the offer so easily.
Winterbourne's voice is low and raspy due to a throat injury during his childhood, and it can sometimes be difficult to understand him.
I'M JUST A BELIEVER THAT THINGS WILL GET BETTER
i don't wanna let it go
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#11
This is what he wants to build; a place for others to start anew. Without extending chances, without taking leaps and bounds, people like himself would have been stuck—shackled in depression and mourning of a loss that continues to haunt him to this day. That is one reason why Evergreen reaches out to Winterbourne; the other being that he knows, deep down, this broken man is good.

“‘Why’?” He parrots, blinking in surprise and moving his chin towards his chest in thought. “Uhm, well, because it’s… important to have a home, to feel safe and, uh, needed?” Being alone helps no one, right? Evergreen learned that the hard way, and while Easthollow has Ira, a friend of his, he didn’t feel at home, or that he was needed. Here, he does, and he hopes that maybe others will feel the same way.
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#12
He's silent a few beats, taking in the other's words. It sounds vaguely like something Aditya would have said, he thinks — or maybe his memory of the man has been muddled by time. The thought is enough to dull the suspicious edge to his gaze, though it brings with it a twinge of grief. He tries not to wonder where he might be now; there are more pressing things to wonder about. Needed? He questions uncertainly, reluctant to cut into the brief silence he'd allowed to settle between them. Safe, he can understand — but he can't remember a time in his life when he'd felt needed, and he can't imagine how anyone could need him. If Evergreen could offer him that... perhaps he could stay here.
Winterbourne's voice is low and raspy due to a throat injury during his childhood, and it can sometimes be difficult to understand him.
I'M JUST A BELIEVER THAT THINGS WILL GET BETTER
i don't wanna let it go
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#13
Nervous, especially as the silence grows, Evergreen is confident he’s right—at least, when it comes to his beliefs and how he wants Kaistleoki to be. His heart thumps in his chest, faster than it ought to be, until finally, Winterbourne speaks up; questioning him. The bearish wolf takes a deep breath, and gives a nod; “Yeah… needed. I want everyone to feel like they have a purpose here. Everyone’s… You’re important.” Evergreen’s spent too long within the Wilds feeling worthless, and as if he isn’t a help to anyone. If he can help it, he wants to prevent others from feeling the same way. An individual, not just another number they can rely on. It means nothing if it isn’t these specific people that he’s brought together, and while others will be welcomed, too, he’ll hope to get to them as well.
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#14
He hears what the man says, and he listens, but the overall meaning is quick to slip from his grasp as he fully registers those last two words. You're important. He swallows hard, his own pulse picking up as his focus centers on the phrase. He doesn't know if he truly believes it — but he wants to, more than anything. Enough to forget the last lingering traces of suspicion lurking in his mind. Okay, He says simply, gaze softening as he studies Evergreen. He forces himself to his feet, then, trying and failing to stifle a yawn. I'm... tired. His voice is soft, almost childlike in its vulnerability. He doesn't want to think about the decision he just made, or whether he deserves this opportunity at all. He just wants to sleep.
Winterbourne's voice is low and raspy due to a throat injury during his childhood, and it can sometimes be difficult to understand him.
I'M JUST A BELIEVER THAT THINGS WILL GET BETTER
i don't wanna let it go
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#15
Life maybe isn’t so easy, but Evergreen is up for the challenge; prepared to take it on, and shoulder the burdens leading a pack might have. It’s well worth the effort. He's just… not sure what would make this situation better for Winterbourne; it’ll take time, especially after getting backstabbed by a previous pack.

He swallows, shifting his weight slightly until the silver male answers. Evergreen feels his heart melting underneath the softened look, and a shy smile starts to curl across his dark muzzle. Cheeks growing warm underneath his thick coat.

“Oh,” he startles, standing a few second after Winterbourne does. “Uh, I know… a comfy spot if you wanna take a nap?” If it’s a hint that he wants some time alone, it flies over Eve’s head. Instead, he looks over at him expectantly, and waits for confirmation.
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#16
Something about the way the man smiles at him sets his heart off-beat for a moment, and he finds himself struggling to form any coherent thought to respond to him. Nap... together? he wonders, puzzled as to why the thought makes his skin crawl a little in a strange, heated way. He only manages a nod, tail swishing slightly as he watches Evergreen expectantly. Surely he doesn't mean together — it'll all be clear in a moment. And if he does... well, Winterbourne isn't inclined to complain.
Winterbourne's voice is low and raspy due to a throat injury during his childhood, and it can sometimes be difficult to understand him.
I'M JUST A BELIEVER THAT THINGS WILL GET BETTER
i don't wanna let it go
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#17
Smile grows broader, enough to show a flash of canines as Winterbourne nods in agreement. Quiet, as expected, but it isn’t… too bad, Eve has the tendency to go on nervous tangents, but when the silence is comfortable like this? Yeah, he doesn’t mind it.

His tail sways, and a low hum rumbles from the bearish wolf. He turns away from the river’s reach, and instead, into the fractured light of the forested area he came from. The sun continues its rise, enough so the cool hues turn warm, filtering through the treeline and leaving soft, cold patches of shadows.

“There’s this, uh, tree I found, the roots are above ground,” he says, breaking the silence just for a moment. It’s large enough to fit the bear comfortably tucked within, and perhaps could be enlarged with some digging. Regardless, it’s the perfect mix of cool and sunshine.

It doesn’t take them long to travel to the ancient tree that seems to dwarf every other one around it. His mismatched green eyes turn to Winterbourne, with almost childish glee. “Cool, right?”
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Thankfully, Evergreen accepts his wordless response and turns to lead him... somewhere. To the spot he'd mentioned, presumably, though Winterbourne can't help but wonder what exactly that means. As if reading his mind, the other wolf answers his unspoken question a few moments later: a tree. Or... tree roots? He's still far too hazy to focus properly, so he decides to just trust the other. At this point he'd be happy sleeping anywhere.
Luckily, it doesn't take long to get there. The towering tree catches his eye immediately — and it is, admittedly, rather impressive. He offers a smile when Evergreen's gaze turns to him, noting very belatedly that one of the male's eyes is clouded over; it hadn't been that way when they'd first met. Yeah, He agrees softly, glancing to the tree again before focusing solely on his companion. There's something about his excitement that captures Winterbourne's attention far more thoroughly than any tree ever could — even if he's too worn to share it.
Winterbourne's voice is low and raspy due to a throat injury during his childhood, and it can sometimes be difficult to understand him.
I'M JUST A BELIEVER THAT THINGS WILL GET BETTER
i don't wanna let it go
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#19
This spot is probably no secret to the other pack wolves, but Eve has yet to share it with anyone else personally. It’s where he goes when he does need a moment to breathe and just exist. Maybe it’s a bit much to invite Winterbourne here, but he sees his smile and immediately, Evergreen knows it’s worth it. Warmth blossoms in his chest. He finds himself torn between wanting to hide from the man’s warm honey eyes, or basking under the soft gaze.

In the end, he’s shy enough to feel the heat in his cheeks increase and slips through the tree’s roots once he hears Winterbourne’s approval. For whatever reason, it felt nice to get it—probably his fear of rejection creeping back up on him again. “It’s even cooler inside,” he chirps, swirling around the space that’s probably barely big enough to fit the both of them and poking his head out with his round ears pointed towards him.
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#20
His tail flicks slightly as he watches Evergreen descend, a little amused at the way the space swallows his massive frame. He hesitates only for a moment, finally casting his doubts aside when the male speaks again and the invitation is made clear. He did mean together, apparently. The silver Corten is careful as he joins the other, stepping delicately into the space between the roots and sucking in a quiet breath when he feels his coat brushing Evergreen's. He lingers uncertainly, pressing lightly against the male but making no move to settle; some part of him still hesitates, somehow not yet convinced that this is truly what the other wants.
Winterbourne's voice is low and raspy due to a throat injury during his childhood, and it can sometimes be difficult to understand him.
I'M JUST A BELIEVER THAT THINGS WILL GET BETTER
i don't wanna let it go
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#21
Once he sees Winterbourne approaching, Evergreen ducks back in. His blind side pressing against a mixture of tree roots and dirt. The majority of the trunk resting stable above, compacted with the cushion of clay and earth. He tries to focus on anything but the brush of fur as Winterbourne enters; tries to make it not noticeable how a small shiver courses up his spine, or how he holds his breath. He’s been close to people, hell, has cuddled with quite a few recently, but it doesn’t seem to calm the affect this has on him.

Lingering in reach, the bear exhales—heart thumping in a fast rhythm, almost pounding in his ears. Embarrassing if Winterbourne is able to tell. But he pretends like nothing is happening, and instead, stretches out. While the silver man remains hesitant to settle, Eve makes himself at home. Massive paws sticking out of the entrance just a tad. “Comfy?” He asks, glancing towards his company.
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#22
He's blissfully oblivious to Evergreen's turmoil, caught up in his own confusion over the heat spreading across his skin. He's never felt this way before, not even with —
He tenses slightly, violently shaking the thought away as quickly as it'd come, and takes in another breath. This time, it's oddly soothing, thick with Evergreen's scent and the smell of dirt and life. Grounding, almost. When the other begins to settle, Winterbourne finds himself doing the same. He's tempted to press further into the male's thick mass of chocolate fur, but again he hesitates, uncertain where the boundaries lay. Yes, He murmurs to the question, only half paying attention; his focus is set firmly on the warm feeling blooming from their point of contact.
Winterbourne's voice is low and raspy due to a throat injury during his childhood, and it can sometimes be difficult to understand him.
I'M JUST A BELIEVER THAT THINGS WILL GET BETTER
i don't wanna let it go
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#23
With their close proximity, Evergreen notices when the other's muscles tense. It's enough that he pauses, just for a second longer than normal in his attempts at getting comfortable. Winterbourne relaxes, however, and his answer is enough to satisfy the bearish wolf.

Being squished together like this a comfort for the brown male, despite the unfamiliar atmosphere that lingers even now. It isn't... uncomfortable, just... different? Weird. New. Unknown. He's felt hints of it in the past; the way he admired Greyback from afar, or how he couldn't resist kissing Alarian in attempts to soothe.

Maybe that's why he gives in, again, and let's himself be brave. He leans away from the wall, and meshes brown fur with silver. Eve rests his chin innocently on Winterbourne's foreleg. Mismatched green eyes peer up curiously—questioning—and yet, a smile never leaves his lips.
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#24
He relaxes quickly for a boy who has never cuddled with a near-stranger like this before, sighing softly as the last of the tension leaves him. The movement startles him a little, but he doesn't react at first. His gaze settles on Evergreen's face as the male rests his head on his foreleg, eyes widening for a moment when he fully registers the smile. His gaze drops quickly, though a timid smile tugs at the corners of his lips as he lays his head beside Evergreen's. He's far too tired to think anymore, much less try to figure out what any of this means, and within moments he's asleep.
Winterbourne's voice is low and raspy due to a throat injury during his childhood, and it can sometimes be difficult to understand him.