Haunted Wood plerusque

their hunt successful. brecheliant and redhawk caldera visited.

akashingo loomed.

"shall we rest now, or travel?" he asked of @Crowfeather. they had returned to the three-tiered wood.

germanicus glanced to the shadow. he had not forgotten the expanse of adoration which had shone in the sunflare eyes.

The shadow felt equal parts restless and exhausted. The felling of large prey was nothing like the hunt for smaller creatures, even fish. Crowfeather felt as though his entire body had been pulled through the river and that he was fortunate to have emerged on the other side.

Rest, the seer answered his companion’s question with a soft voice, the hint of a smile toying with his lips and his whiskers.

You are an amazing hunter. I did not know.

Crowfeather did not imagine he should have known or been surprised. Germanicus was more and more remarkable as the days drew on.

germanicus made a low and noncommittal sound within his throat. 

"you must learn to feed yourself when you are alone." but he was not displeased by crowfeather's praise. an answering smile sprang to life on his mouth.

germanicus was relieved to rest. he began to move deeper into the woodland, searching for a suitable place that would lend itself to dreamless sleep. 

"i believe that red wolf is part of brecheliant."

The shadow trailed after the silver body, finding comfort in the return to such a natural state. Germanicus’ response was precisely what Crowfeather would have expected. The dark wolf could not help but to smile at it, pleased further by the growing familiarity.

The red wolf did not like the water, I think.

Crowfeather frowned thoughtfully at this. He had been worried when the male hadn’t pursued the elk into the mud. The seer had not thought about it in the moment, but it had struck him as being odd after they had pulled the cow from the wet.


Did you notice that? Crowfeather looked to Germanicus.

germanicus gave a nod as he settled himself upon a wide and rounded patch of moss. "i did. it seems a strange thing for a man who chose to live in a fen."

the coolness of the verdant texture beneath began to drain tension from his well-used muscles. "did you happen to see the way that teya looked at him?" he commented, allowing himself the pleasure of gossip in a rare time and place.

Yes, Crowfeather nodded his head in agreement. The crimson male had been a rather silent addition to their hunting party. He had swept in and out with just as many mysteries.

When Germanicus brought up the way that Teya had regarded the red male, Crowfeather felt his own cheeks prickling with heat.

For a moment, the dark wolf’s features transformed in a strange way. His smile spread before it faded, and he felt the familiar twist in his belly. When Crowfeather set his gaze back to Germanicus, his eyelids were heavy, and his breath was drawn tight.

Yes, I did notice. They seemed almost opposites, hmm? Drawn together somehow.

crowfeather seemed almost embarrassed at the eagle's reference. germanicus felt compelled once more, but looked away, in the direction of the cardinal place they must go now.

"tell me again the directions you received from this satsu," the ranger urged softly, setting himself firmly upon a better course than the one he wished to take.

there was more ahead of them. it loomed just beyond, over a rise he could not see.

In the eastern mountains. Satsu said that if we go beyond the mountains, we have gone too far. I imagine they have found somewhere in the middle, somewhere safe.

The directions he had received had not been thoroughly detailed, but Crowfeather had felt overjoyed at the prospect of further information about the Saints as well as the potential in a new friendship. He had failed to ask properly, and they were left with rough estimations.

Crowfeather looked to the mountain range that spanned a great stretch north.

If we stay elevated, I believe I will be able to guide us, he offered tentatively. Crowfeather was no master scout, but he did believe he had a good sense for direction.

"you have led us so often, i fear i will be out of practice soon." germanicus smiled softly. crowfeather always prevailed upon him to return to warmer words.

he did not care for the way that the woman's foreign name had sounded in the tones of the shadow. the eagle shifted himself more comfortably and invited crowfeather closer with a swing of his muzzle.

That’s alright, the shadow assured the soldier.

Crowfeather did not hesitate to join the older man. The seer prowled toward him and made a place for himself as close as he could manage. The proximity spiked his heart, each beat felt like a tumbling boulder.

Except that after Akashingo, I will not know where it is we will go. That will be up to you, Crowfeather reminded him warmly.

There was something about that unknown that thrilled the dark wolf. Crowfeather could feel the weight of that mystery and relished in it, wishing quietly that Germanicus would not hear his heart or feel it upon his flesh.

the shadow settled closer. germanicus fought the response of flesh to their melding warmth. instead the ranger closed his eyes, allowing the sensation to ebb into nothingness. tiredness replaced it. long days of traveling and their recent hunt had made the eagle feel as if he were a wrung wineskin.

what lay east did not excite germanicus.

"when we return to this part of the world, you will have lived several more experiences."

Do you think so?

Crowfeather’s voice was a cracked whisper.

The lantern yellow of his eyes found their familiar place on the older man’s rugged features. He admired the silver there for a few moments, somehow finding something new with each brush of his gaze.

I do not feel as frightened, with you. The seer so easily remembered how he had felt before meeting Germanicus. Crowfeather did not miss that aching loneliness. The weight of having given up had been unbearable.

woo 400

germanicus lay his head down across his roughened paws. "i am unused to providing that sort of comfort."

for a moment his eyes closed, and it seemed as though he would sleep.

but it was only the eagle steeling himself.

"do you recall asking my thoughts upon having children?"

You are so amazing!<3 *o*

Crowfeather was bothered by Germanicus’ initial response. He did not understand it at the time, but there was a heavy blow of disbelief that had struck him. How could the silver eagle not understand that his presence alone made others easy, comforted? Perhaps he had never had someone express this to him.

Ready to combat the older man, Crowfeather opened his maw and immediately stopped the words from forming.

Did he remember asking Germanicus about children? Of course, he did. He had not so easily forgotten the idea of small silver guards racing about after their stoic father.

Yes, was all Crowfeather could utter, waiting to hear what the eagle would say next.

<3

germanicus lifted his head. the sungleam of his stare did not move toward crowfeather. 

"there is an act to create children. i do not care for this act." 

his face felt singed, and he continued to hold his gaze far and away, where he could not be moved.

Crowfeather did not pull his eyes from Germanicus.

The confession was one that he did not anticipate. The dark wolf had never even committed such an act, let alone have enough experience with it to form such a firm stance. How had the older male lived?

Oh…

What more could he say? It would have been crass to have asked if Germanicus was certain. It would have been even more crass to have spoken what was on the shadow’s mind.

You will not have to worry about it, then.

Crowfeather ripped his eyes from the older man and focused them on the stars.

Cruel, he thought only to himself.

crowfeather reacted, speaking.

germanicus was implacable.

"i do not care for women in that regard."

he wanted to sleep, now; wished the friendly respite of darkness. the eagle wished to say no more, and yet there was more unsaid. 

germanicus was silent, eyelids heavy with the effort of allowing himself to be seen.

The next comment was one that Crowfeather understood, to a large degree. The women that had drawn the shadow’s gaze had been so few and far between, that he had wondered for most of his life if there was something wrong with him.

I have only ever looked upon one woman in that way, Crowfeather confessed quietly. She is a star now, so it does not matter. The seer could already feel tears stinging his eyes.

Then, without realizing the implications of it, Crowfeather’s narrow snout moved to where the older male’s paws were rested. He kissed the dirt from them once, and only once before the drowning feeling of embarrassment overtook him.

I am- sorry, he wished to say.

"perhaps we all have such stars in our life."

crowfeather's touch perturbed and relieved germanicus. he shook his head at the shadow's apology, finally turning to look into the younger wolf's face. "it does not matter. i do not allow it to matter."

"let us sleep," quickly now, before he spoke more than he wanted to say.

I do not allow it to matter, he heard and felt his heart plunge from his chest. Crowfeather repeated these words in his mind until they hurt so deeply that he had no choice but to accept them. The seer could also take control. He could also make sure that his feelings did not matter, were never granted action.

Goodnight, Germanicus.

The shadow fixed his gaze on the glittering stars, and he breathed in the scents of the forest, of the older man next to him, and the blood that still mingled with both of their pelts. When such aromas had filled his mind, Crowfeather drifted to sleep.