Northstar Vale Psémata

Instead of guilt, Antigone walked to @Meadow’s den with an unmoving expression and a tingling feeling of pleasure that had started to sprout in his belly like a spring flower.

Pausing to collect some herbs that would help with remaining pain and to drink from the flowing waters of the vale, Antigone thought back on his conversation with his father. He had lied so easily. It had been the first he’d told. Arsenio’s face had been stricken with worry and with protective fatherly anger. The red-hooded wolf had delighted at such an instant response. It could not be long before Reyson was evicted from their land and out of Meadow’s life.

The boy paused outside of her healing den. He thought he could smell her inside but didn’t want to disturb her when she might have been sleeping.

Antigone had decided that if Reyson would not be removed from Epoch, then he would never be left alone with Meadow. The boy would sit and wait and intrude in every waking minute of every day. When she had healed and when he had grown into a man…

The boy sat quietly outside her door.

She stirred at the gentle noise of her self-assigned guardian. Withdrawing from the haze of pain and restless dreams, she studied the familiar wall of the healing den now, breathing out softly. Mobility was becoming more important in her healing process—and so she pushed herself up, teeth gritting as she stood, pausing a moment to allow her side to adjust.

The pain was much less—a scar would always mar her—a reminder of what she had done and what had nearly happened—and with quiet fortitude, she slowly moved forward, creeping out of the den and allowing her eyes to fall upon young Antigone, a small smile pulling at her otherwise tired features. “Hey, you,” she murmured, slowly settling herself to a seat near him.

Taking full advantage of that All welcome tag. It's going to be tight in my timeline, but I can make it work. But I will delete if either one of you want me too. He won't speak unless spoken too. so he is skippable unless you need him to make a reply.

Reyson had spoken with the arche. It seemed he was allowed to stay and there were things that needed done, but for now he would be patient as the leader had asked. From his maw, he carried a rabbit. And he stepped into the clearing and near the healer's den.

He smiled at Meadow, looked over the boy. Then back to Meadow with a look again.

The Arche sends his regards, he and I just had a conversation.

Then moved a few feet away. He was not here to butt into their conversation, but let the boy lie to his face now, after he had spoke with his father.

He slowly worked at tearing the fur from the rabbit's body, he had seen the Arche drying furs and wondered if he could as well.

Hi, the boy said breathlessly to her.

The warmth of her figure drew near to him. Antigone could feel the race of his heart and the warmth that spread down the length of his legs, to his paws. Each slight in her movement, each lingering sense of pain from her wounds drew his eyes. Navy blue searched her frame with hungry concern. Even though his body told him to refrain, the red-hooded boy reached out to touch at her arm.

Until the brute appeared.

Antigone bristled with discomfort. The man’s voice sounded out and pricked the young wolf’s ears. Reyson said he had spoken with the Arche, that they’d shared a conversation. The implication of his tone suggested that it had been a meaningful one. Hatred and spite boiled in the young wolf’s body. He was enraged to know that his father hadn’t thrown the ugly beast from their home.

Quivering, Antigone pressed his side against Meadow. She would be able to feel his quaking form. She would be able to sense the force of his anger and his fear. There would be no question what had spurred it to life.

You shouldn’t be here, he growled to the man.

Antigone studied her—intently, at that, and she tried her very best to withhold any grimace of pain. Goodness, it felt as if she would never be able to leave this infirmary den! Reyson was working on building their own little place within Epoch, and she found herself hungry to be within in—back to some form of normalcy that still offered a foot forward in life.

And before she could offer more words to the boy, Reyson was there—a rabbit within his powerful jaws, and an icy stare, not uncommon for the retired soldier. His eyes were pointed at her—noting the Arche sends his regards, and the coldness of those words drew a furrow to her brows—had she angered Arsenio somehow? Why did he not give his regards himself?

But it could not be questioned—the reaction of Antigone was as swift as a kick to the teeth by a horse, and his hackles bristled—his eyes such a glare upon the man before them that it almost startled the breath from her.

And then he was pressed against her, his form trembling—no longer a small boy to cower behind her, but not yet a man—and the growled words drew her eyebrows up, gawking between them both and feeling her own flex of protective nature surge—though her nerves shuttered with confusion just to who needed her protection. “What’s going on?” Soft voice—and yet a stern demand.

Reyson lifted his head. Antigone and I had words and regrettably I yelled and said things I shouldn't, he then went to the arche and demanded I be outsted while also telling the Arche that I slammed his head into the ground. I cleared that up. Oh and Antigone. I told him everything you said, I said and nothing in between. So that matter is at rest. Please refrain from lying about me again. I am also under strict orders to tell your father anything that you and I say to each other and his exact words were.

Reyson gave the boy a leveled stare. He said "Come find me if Antigone picks anymore fights with you."


Reyson looked at Antigone and then back to Meadow. I can repeat everything said again if you'd like. I have a perfect memory for such things.

Last for me here! <3 Love you both.

The boy seethed, listening to the hideous monster speak so calmly, so haughtily. Antigone gave life to Reyson’s words. He littered the man’s speech with emotion that was not present. In his young mind, he twisted the soldier’s recounting until it was perverse and evil, until it dripped with the ugliness that riddled the man’s body.

Antigone could feel his stomach flip. He wanted to vomit. He wanted to turn to Meadow and beg her not to listen to this horrid animal.

Quivering, violent with rage, and shaking with the effort of finding his courage to do so, the red-hooded child rose to his paws. Navy eyes shifted to Meadow. He wanted to tell her that he was sorry. He wanted to tell her that he loved her. The words were trapped behind the licking white-hot anger. If he spoke, it would only be with hatred. Antigone would never subject her to this fury.

Ugly, vile, snake, he spat at Reyson.

You deserve better than this, Antigone said to Meadow. The young wolf licked his chops with a defiant glare toward Reyson. With bristling fur, the boy prowled away.

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xoxoxoxoxo

Reyson spoke—and with each word, her brows would lift higher, her anxiety spiking with each syllable at whatever shenanigans had happened while she had been holed up in this den. Two of her favorite boys were not only at odds—it looked as if a full on battle could have erupted between them.

Despite what Reyson said, Meadow itched to pull Antigone closer—not because she did not trust what the soldier had spoke, but because there had to be something deeper to this—and she tentatively lifted a paw to touch at his shoulder, reaching to him, to see if he was okay.

And before she could make a quiet request that perhaps Reyson give them a moment, Antigone spat—and the words that came from him were positively venomous and she gasped, her paw falling to the ground instead and her shocked eyes flitting to the tawny Nomos.

Antigone told her she deserved better and he stalked away—the backside of a teenager all she saw now before he was gone. She trembled—she blinked back the tears of shock and upset—what in the world? Her eyes were sharp upon Reyson, and she moved toward him, ignoring the pain that flared in her side. Her muzzle sought his, kisses planted to his cheeks—“Are you okay? What…. What the fuck, was that, Reyson?” The small implosion of her word selection—flabbergasted.

Reyson saw the expression on her beautiful face and that did more than anything to lick the embers of shame against what he had said. But also realizing that she may hate him by the end of this all, because of a sour faced teen with a crush. But he let them die. Because yes he had yelled and handled it badly, but he hadn't done anything to warrant hatred.

Reyson blinked at her words. Were it any other moment, any other conversation. He would have chuckled and pulled her close at her use of swear words he used often. Instead he dipped his head and told her everything. The first words he and Antigone shared, every movement every breath, the words the second time, again every single action, and then the words with the Arche.

That is everything said and done. He has a crush on you. I hadn't realized it, until after he and I had argued. If I had. Well I would have done things a lot different. I just felt attacked. That doesn't make what I said any better and it definitely makes me an ass. I apologized to Arche, to the daughter. I would apologize to Antigone, but I know he wouldn't accept it.

He took a deep breath. I hate lies Meadow and this is why. This child could destroy me to everyone, because he thinks it's okay to tell everyone that I hurt him when I didn't. But I can understand if he was scared of me. I was not kind in my words. I should have done better.

I pretty much assumed you've read all the juicy threads :) so. Reyson would repeat everything to her, including the bad things he said. He won't mince words.

It unsettled her that Reyson and her apprentice had shared such words—both of great importance to her, and now at odds. Hell—from the sound of it, this had far surpassed ‘odds’ and went straight into a battle between the two. The mere idea that Reyson had hurt the boy was unfathomable to her—and of course she had not had the chance to pull Antigone aside and try to delve further into his words or feelings—he had simply run off for now.

Even worse—if he was spreading lies about Reyson, how much would it take for the familial pack to outcast him… whether by association of the potential lies, or therein of believing them?

“Some retirement,” she huffed, a frown placed meekly upon her features even as she felt drained and heartbroken in so many ways. Defeated, perhaps.

And busted up, she couldn’t do a damn thing about any of it.

At the idea of him having a crush on her? She snorted—her eyes easily rolling. “If he has a crush on me it’s because he’s in a pack primarily of dudes and his family…” She tried to slowly settle herself back to her haunches—ignoring the pain that stabbed at her side. “I need to talk to him…”

But Tamar’s howl resounded the lands—beckoning Reyson—and a flurry of anger seared in the healer’s chest, and if he thought she would let him out of her sight and to talk alone with the leaders, he was dead wrong, and she dared him to even try to suggest it with one simmering look. Arsenio's words on the matter unsettled her--and she wasn't sure what the Arche and Morphe would do in this moment.