Swiftcurrent Creek the man who sold the world

AW, but he's looking for @Arlette and @Cygnet. Other tags only for reference.

The coldness was creeping in. Each day, the creek wolves woke with frost blanketing the plants and trees of their home. There was a certain trepidation in the man now—winter was inevitably around the corner, and he had quietly hoped that his children would have returned by now—particularly @Mae. The girl had left in anger—lost, confused—and while he had desired nothing more than to follow her, plead with her to return home where she could be safe and loved—he knew it to be fruitless.

Anytime she gazed upon him, it had been with the utmost hate.

He could only hope time now, would heal—and that perhaps one day she would see that in all he had done, it had been to try to protect her. To protect the creek, and it’s wolves.

Somber in this, Akavir grasped the small gift tightly in his jaws. The creek held one pup now—one youth, as well, but Cygnet remained the smallest. And so lingering close to the areas he could scent @Arlette primarily, the Alpha dropped the single deer brow tine he had come across—as well as the rabbit he had hunted down earlier before offering a low crooning bark to see if she was within the vicinity.

@Cygnet I hope the mild PP is allowed, let me know if you don't like it!

Arlette had been around the river with Cygnet. Even though the weather was getting older, and therefor the river as well, it was an excellent part of the territory to entertain Cygnet. This way she could safely play around the riverbanks and be familiar with something that could be as dangerous. She also liked to be around the river as there were many plants growing there, especially in these last moments for winter.

Arlette looked up when she heard someone approach. It was Akavir. "Oh hello!," she spoke and then went to see if Cygnet was around, she had just been there with her. "What did you bring?," she asked curiously and then smiled at the alpha. She would let Cygnet explore first, especially the rabbit. See what she would do with it.

Her teething debacle was more or less a thing of the past. She'd shed her pointy little bay teeth, and her gums had finally forgiven the intrusion of the adult fangs. Still, she enjoyed chewing on things, and the riverbank was an excellent place for her to find a stick that had washed up, stripped of bark and smoothe to the touch. 

She caught Arlette's greeting, and lifted her ears, wondering who she was talking to. She caught the woman's inviting gaze, and moved forward tentatively with the stick still clutched in her mouth. 

She looked up to the man with a stark gaze. She felt very little for or against him- it was the one with the ring around his eye that offended her so much. She spotted the rabbit and the tine on the ground, but didn't immediately grab for them. Her hackles lifted slightly in apprehension. She wanted those things, but she didn't want to get scruffed for grabbing at things that weren't hers.

Arlette greeted him with the grace of her kindness—and for a stolen moment, he was thankful they had such a healer within their ranks. For as much misery that had shadowed the pack for months now, in many ways, they were fortunate.

Perhaps, they could rebuild to a stronger foundation.

Or… perhaps they would be a stronger foundation without his presence tainting them all.

His muzzle canted lightly at the pale she-wolf, his eyes drifting down to study the apparent interest of young Cygnet as she regarded the items—he had heard she was a bit of a…. Handful.

The wisp of a smirk pressed to his lips, though he would not keep the gift from the girl. Instead, his muzzle swept lower, nudging both toward her direction before side-stepping, his easy gait moving closer now to Arlette as he allowed the pup room to explore the antler and rabbit, should she wish.

“Just a couple items that will hopefully bring some entertaining… and a full belly,” he murmured to the Delta, his ear giving an idle flick as he found himself closer to her, now. He knew very little of the woman—and as his eyes drifted from Cygnet to study Arlette, idly, he wondered of her. “I would have brought something for @Solaria, too, but I assumed she might be past the age of caring as much for an antler.” A pause then — “How are Bellatrix and Solaria?”

Arlette watched as Cygnet came to explore. It seemed to be an antler and a whole rabbit. This was good enrichment for the pup. The antler to chew and the rabbit to learn to eat actual prey instead of prepared meat. Arlette would help her of course, if she needed it. "That is helpful," Arlette smiled kindly. Since Cygnet was on her own she didn't really have any siblings to keep er occupied with. She noticed that that was a big difference to her own children and watching them.

"That is kind, thank you. Yeah. She is a little old for that," she agreed with a chuckle. Arlette looked at the male and couldn't help but wonder where this was coming from. She didn't want to question his kindness, that was not something she did. But ever since joining she had seen little of the male. She partly blamed herself, she kept mostly busy with Bellatrix, Solaria, Cygnet, and then there were her medical duties she felt like she should do. She quirked up her lips. "They are doing well. Although I am still getting used to the fact I am a grandma. I don't feel grandma age yet," she chuckled.

"How... have you been?," she asked curiously. While trying to look at him but also keeping an eye on the pup exploring in case she needed help.

She watched him with a wary, wild gaze, sinking back onto her heels as his head lowered. With wide eyes, she watched him flick the gifts closer and her skulking posture relaxed slightly when he then stepped away from them. Mirroring his movements, she stepped away from Arlette and toward the offerings, careful to keep Akavir in her peripheral vision. She read nothing but acceptance and fondness from Arlette's features though she did seem somewhat surprised as well. 

They began to talk; she felt herself watched, but given the fact she had been presented with gifts, she didn't mind hanging around. She pawed at the rabbit, watching as its head lolled loosely. She lowered her muzzle to sniff it and bared her teeth silently as she inhaled the musk of Akavir's scent, but it could be forgiven; the rabbit also smelled of blood. She was appeased. 

She plucked the tine up in her mouth, and fixing Akavir with a steady but relatively emotionless stare, she began to scoot backwards, dragging the rabbit along with a paw. She scuffled a few metres back, so she had a bit more space- and then settled down on top of the rabbit as if to warm it with her own body heat, while she began to chew noisily at the tine.