Redtail Rise da capo

again with the can't sleep XD

Making a few assumptions, feel free to correct them if any are mistaken!

Feel free to assume location depending on who joins <3 and no rush, I know threads are in progress!

After the birth of the puppies, Ashlar silently began to spend his nights with @Avicus if she did not drive him away. Even if another shared the space as well, he was not deterred - he was tired of passing them alone and felt she should not be alone either. He would come with food if others did not bring it, but both Augur and Prophet did their parts fully. He did not need to often.

It was strange to have pieces of Ursus again. @Aventus and @Arielle intimidated him. He could not forget the former's distaste or way the latter had excelled in all of the ways he had not. She was a healer as well. This might have caused another wolf to worry but surprisingly, Ashlar found this a relief. He needed to train and to learn. He wasn't too proud to accept this from one who was so new to them.

Today he carried a pheasant that he planned to gift to her. She was carrying children, he knew, and he wished to ensure that things were well between them. Afterwards he would check in on his friend and her own children.

i'm just going to be vague about stuff for now. i didn't want to wait XD

The exhaustion only seemed to get worse with every day. She was more round even than the day she had arrived; it seemed the pups were suddenly going through a growth spurt or something. She could feel them moving within her now. First it felt like butterflies in her stomach, like the ones she used to get around Aves before they were together. Now she could distinctly feel kicking against her organs. She wondered if her husband would be able to feel it from the outside. She was waiting for the right time to try it out. Maybe when they were more settled. 

She was dozing in the den when she heard steps outside, followed by Ashlar's scent. She knew him from her early days in Ursus; she had no opinion of him one way or the other, and whatever had happened in Ursus didn't matter here. 

She lifted her head from the cool ground. The scent of food wafted in. Come in, Ashlar, she said softly. It was kind of him to bring her food.

She sounded extremely nice (if also tired). This helped, though Ashlar's tail was still tucked uncertainly as he made his way to drop the food within reach. I thou.... I wasn't sure if you were, or, needed this. He stumbled over the words uncertainly and kept his gaze downcast, though his tail gave a small twitch of hopeful enjoyment that he hadn't been turned out immediately. He had no idea what to expect with the terms he had left on. Avicus had forgiven him. He knew that Ursus proper never would have.

Is there anything else? I can do? He wondered if that was rude immediately after he asked. It was ridiculous to second guess such an innocent statement but she was a healer, right? And had been likely far longer than he. The bard likely didn't have half the knowledge she did, and in reality she would probably be her own best help.

It didn't help that his confidence had been recently shaken so completely, he'd wondered if he even deserved the title at all.

Arielle didn't hold anything near the grudge for Ashlar that her husband did. Had they been in Ursus right now, her thoughts would be crueler. She would have viewed him as a traitor and likely not given him the time of day. But now—now she was a traitor too, and she could hardly stand to pass judgement on the other healer for something she had also done. 

And he had checked on her, brought her food. She was grateful. He seemed nervous when he entered, tripping over his words. Ursus had that effect. But they were not in Ursus anymore. 

Thank you, she told him. I think I'm okay for now. Mostly she wanted company. Avicus told me when I arrived that you are the healer here. I would like to work together, she told him. Making her tinctures and tending her plants would be familiar in a place where she searched for some kind normalcy.

Oh, ah, yeah. He grew warm under her look and knowing that Avicus had recommended him as her peer. His tail waved with pleasure but he had to resist the urge to shrink a little too. He didn't feel as if this were the case.

I started learning with my b.. papa last year. I'm still.... I haven't done a lot. Maybe you could help, if you want to t...train. Teach me had been the words about to come from his mouth but it sounded juvenile and he stuttered to change it last-minute. They would train together and maybe he could help her too. He didn't want to put the responsibility for the pack on her shoulders when he knew it was his to bear. He had signed up for this when he had agreed to stand at Avicus' side here as she built this home.

I helped Avicus when she... when the pups came. I can help you if you like. He kept his gaze averted and expected to be turned down for this. She was Aventus' mate and he didn't expect the man would want him around any more than necessary. Right? Unless he'd forgiven him too... a small light of hope flashed to life within him. Maybe with this he could prove his intentions.

Ashlar mentioned that he had trained with his father last year but that there was still more he needed to know; he wanted to train. Arielle nodded. Yes, of course, she told him. She liked to teach. I'm sure we can both learn things from each other. Everyone had their own way of doing things and their reasons why the do it that way; she was interested to see what he knew. 

She was a bit unaccustomed to the doting if she was being honest. Until arriving here, she had dealt with her progressing pregnancy and all that went with it on her own. It was a bit lonely, sure, but nothing she couldn't handle. Still, his offer was kind. Oh, Um, that's very nice of you to offer. She also wasn't sure how her mate would feel about that, given his history with the other healer. How about I call you if I need help? she offered. That way he would only be there if it was absolutely necessary.

Ashlar could sense her unease and nodded, taking a small step back in the process to leave more room between them. Of course. He replied quietly, but gave her a smile so that she would hopefully know that he was grateful for her kindness. She could have simply told him to get lost, or closed the proverbial door completely in his face. Instead she would consider his offer.

If... if nothing else, I can bring things. Supplies. So you can stay close. He could leave them near the den, giving her and her mate the space they needed to settle in and do what was needed. We can learn after. Whenever. He wasn't in a hurry and he knew, from experiencing Avicus' first weeks of motherhood, how busy she would be.

He would wait for her response, perhaps a list of what was needed, and then he would leave her to her rest. If she did not have specifics then he would bring what he had brought to Avicus, herbs for the stomach and for easing pain. The scent of ginger was sharp and easy to detect.

He accepted her suggestion that she call him if she needed him. Hopefully, she would be fine, though. The last thing she and Aves needed was for something to go wrong when the children were born. He was already not happy about their existence, and she worried how he might feel if something bad happened to her during labor. She refused to leave him here without her, though; she never wanted him to hurt again. 

Ashlar offered to bring her supplies, and Arielle smiled a little. That would be very helpful, she told him. And yes, when I have recovered from labor and the pups are old enough for me to leave them for a little while, we can start working.

If you could bring me ginger, anything you have for pain, and something to help with bleeding, that would really help. It would save her from having to find those things with her very limited energy. She could rest knowing she would have what she needed. 

She yawned, her eyes getting a little droopy. Thank you, Ashlar, she offered quietly. She would wait for him to leave and then promptly fall asleep.

Ashlar smiled and nodded, his tail continuing to sway behind him as she accepted. Internally he was thrilled to have the chance to prove himself to them. Aventus terrified him but he was Avicus' brother... and Ashlar knew he was not well liked. It would weigh on him.

Thank you. He finished on that, softly, then left her to her sleep. When she woke up she would find some of what she'd requested already in a pile near the den's entrance... and Ashlar would take care to provide more, as needed, until the time came.