Emberwood come through, i think i need you here
759 Posts
Ooc — Tweet
Ambassador
Ranger
Offline
#1
Private 
01/14. assuming everyone jumps in, rounds w/ no post order sound okay?

the border was familiar, but crossing it felt unnatural. it was as though her absence was a resignation and this was a forbidden reentry. in her heart, she longed for ibis, but knew that she wasn't strong enough to hear the truth. bhediya pressed deeper into the territory, releasing short calls for @Kavik

she might have called for awol, had she trusted him more. bhediya respected him as a co-leader but did not feel comfortable asking him for what she was about to ask the paladin. 

after a moment's thought, she released another call for @Easy and @Lavender, this one a bit louder than those previous. bhediya settled beside @Kukulkan somewhere near the densite and awaited someone's arrival, hoping that the summoned brute would appear first.
 
963 Posts
Ooc — Hela
Guardian
Offline
#2
He had taken his promise to keep them safe seriously. It was easy for him to divert his extra energy to this task, anyway. He needed a distraction pretty much always, and it was natural at this point for him to fall into the habits of protecting the pack. So when Bhediya's call reached him where he was patrolling the borders, he wasted no time heading her way. He wondered if she had found more trouble outside the woods or any leads on who the murderer was. Either way, he didn't want to keep her waiting.

When he arrived near the densite, he saw that she was with a packmate he had not gotten to know very well yet. He wanted to change that and get to know everyone like he had at the plateau and creek, and he made a note to seek out the lesser known members over the next few weeks and find out more about them. He dipped his head in greeting to the other man and then sat down in front of the Magician. He dipped his head to her as well. Bhediya, I hope everything is okay, he offered. He know didn't what to expect now with everything that was going on, but he knew whatever reason she had to call him here must be important.
I'm no good without you
759 Posts
Ooc — Tweet
Ambassador
Ranger
Offline
#3
the paladin was first to appear, as bhediya had hoped. she watched him saunter onto the scene, emeralds alight with visible concern. no, its..., she trailed off, turning to kukulkan for some sort of reassurance, has pygmalion been in the territory? if not, she was sure that he would; it was a question of timing, more than anything else.

the magician drew in a deep exhale, expanding her chest for a sense of added security. through closed lids and bouncing paws, one might have been able to see and almost feel her anxiety. i called for you because i don't want to upset ibis and, well, i trust you more than awol. there was no need to lie, especially when honesty played such a vital role. 

i'm afraid of pyg, bhediya admitted, gaze falling to the ground. it was the first time she'd admitted it — aloud, anyway. she would have kept them in for the rest of her life, were it not for the potential growing inside of her. her regard for her own well-being was long lost, given up some years ago, but for them, she was determined to do what was right.

the girls hadn't yet arrived. this made the retelling all the easier, as she didn't have to constantly worry about tarnishing their fragile relationship. he threatened to...take me, when my heat came, she muttered, still avoiding eye contact, so when it did, i asked kukulkan to escort me to courtfall.

they'd never actually made it that far, but that was neither here nor there. pygmalion found us on the intermediate mountain between our two packs and there was and altercation. she remembered hiding, waiting to be found, but the rest of what'd occurred was a blur. i don't feel safe being in the territory while i know he can show up at any time.

bhediya would likely never feel safe in the emberwood, not after what'd happened. there were good memories here, some that she wished to never lose! but they weren't all pleasant. i'm staying in the mountains, just south of courtfall. please, don't tell anyone where i am. those who need to know, i'll tell them on my own.
 
963 Posts
Ooc — Hela
Guardian
Offline
#4
Her question was a little odd. Wouldn't she know better than he where her mate was? Maybe they had been separated or something? He wasn't sure. I haven't seen him in some time, he answered, his concern growing despite his mind trying to find reason in her words. He shook his head, about to ask for more information, but then she continued to speak, her explanation furthering his confusion. He wondered why she was afraid of her own mate. 

As she continued to explain, fury rose in his chest, and it took everything in him not to interrupt her and ask the question burning a hole in his mouth. But he let her finish, and by the time her words had died down, he was shaking his head. Bhediya, no, he said gently. You're safer here where I can protect you and the pack can help keep an eye on things, not somewhere in the mountains where I can't be just a call away. He took a hesitant step towards her, resisting the urge to offer some sort of comforting affection. He could tell she was shaken, but he wasn't sure his touch would make her feel better right now, especially if what he thought might have happened actually had happened. I'll make sure he does not pass these borders, he promised her. I'll enlist only those you trust to help me. She couldn't go back outside the borders and live somewhere where anything could happen to her. Please. Just stay here and let us help you.
I'm no good without you
759 Posts
Ooc — Tweet
Ambassador
Ranger
Offline
#5
bhediya could feel her anxiety grow as kavik continued to speak. her limbs began to feel numb, tingling and cold; her vision narrowed as she drew in short breaths, silently asking herself to remain composed.

just until we're done here.

i can't, kavik, she told him, voice cracking as she aimed to make eye contact, being here is a reminder of everything that he's said to me, how he's made me feel... but the paladin wouldn't understand that, would he? it was something that no one could understand until they'd experienced it themself. 

another deep breath, this one meant to keep her tears at bay. if i'm here, he'll know it. he'll come back and then what? i could put other packmates at danger just by being in the emberwood. it was the first time she'd thought about it, in truth. pygmalion seemed disinterested in harming anyone but his mate (so far as she knew).

bhediya continued, but if i go to the mountains, and if someone covers my tracks — a momentary glance away from kavik — he won't find me, and everyone will be safe. writ on her expression was a clear plea for help, one that she prayed he wouldn't deny.
 
963 Posts
Ooc — Hela
Guardian
Offline
#6
The more she spoke, the more clear it became that Bhediya would not be swayed from her decision, no matter how much more dangerous her plan seemed than his. If he were a cruel leader, one that did what was necessary and spared no thought for how things made his pack feel, then he could simply forbid her to stay in the mountains. But he was not cruel, and he wouldn't use his rank to push her into doing something she so obviously didn't want to do. He could see the discomfort in her expression, hear the fear in her words, and he knew staying here would not work for her. He could protect her here, that much he knew, but she could not see past her fear. He sighed, his gaze still twisted with concern. Alright, he finally said. I understand that you need to do what makes you feel safe, and that is not staying here. He had not missed the plea in her eyes, and he would gladly do whatever she needed him to do. Let me escort you there; I'll cover your tracks, he offered. Then I'll be able to check on you and bring you food, he added. I'll be careful and make sure to not leave any tracks anytime I visit. She hadn't come out and said whether or not she might be pregnant, and he worried about her having to fend for herself out there.
I'm no good without you
759 Posts
Ooc — Tweet
Ambassador
Ranger
Offline
#7
kavik did not take long to concede. bhediya was grateful for this; she knew that by allowing her leave, he would be adding weight onto his own shoulders. the other leaders were young and inexperienced, so he would be forced to take on more responsibility. 

thank you, she replied. the magician heaved a sigh of relief as she met his gaze once more. there's one more thing — inhale, exhale, — if i am pregnant, and if my home in the mountain doesn't work, will you let me come back to whelp?
 
963 Posts
Ooc — Hela
Guardian
Offline
#8
Her request was a big one. It put him in a tough position—put his need to ensure hers and her possible offspring's safety against his need to look out for the best interest of the pack. If he agreed, then he would obligated to keep his word even if the pack was in no position to take on more pups by the time she had her own and realized what he already knew: that a hideout in the mountains was not a safe place for newborns. He hoped that by then, she had managed to gather other wolves to support her but if she didn't, then she would surely be back here. He was reminded of last spring at the creek when they had so many pups and not enough adults to hunt for them. He did not want to be in that position again, and he had his own children to consider, as well. But as it was, if she stayed, he would be facing that possibility anyway. 

In the end, his unwavering kindness and loyalty to a fellow packmate won out, though. He nodded. You have a safe place here to whelp if you should need it, he answered. 

Now come on, he said to both of them, then turned to Bhediya. We should get you settled before it gets dark.
I'm no good without you
759 Posts
Ooc — Tweet
Ambassador
Ranger
Offline
#9
the mountains were ideal, but the valley was still an option. bhediya exhaled and shook the tension from her muscles; knowing that she would have a place to give birth set her heart as ease. an immeasurable weight lifted from her shoulders, she nudged kukulkan — i'll see you when i see you. — and nodded to kavik. 

thank you, she told him once standing at his side, i...just, thank you. she would wait for him to take the lead, following close behind as they wandered back to the lair.
 
963 Posts
Ooc — Hela
Guardian
Offline
#10
Of course, Bhediya, he replied with a dip of his head. It was the right thing to do and what he would do for any of his packmates. He worried greatly about how he would deal with Pygmalion if he returned to their forest, but decided to push it to the back of his mind for now; he would deal with it when he returned. For now, he needed to focus on getting Bhediya to safety. Once she was at his side, he offered Kukulkan and quick nod, gave her a reassuring smile and began to lead the way into the mountains. Once she was safe, he would return home and then he needed to inform the pack about everything so that they could be safe as well.
I'm no good without you