Swiftcurrent Creek winter's wife

For anyone!

During the night, it snowed. True to her sub-species, Bazi was up before the crack of dawn to enjoy it, rolling and romping by herself in the south-western corner of the Creek's territory, just outside the Njal and Tuwawi's old den. She had re-purposed it, digging a smaller atrium towards the back where she stockpiled furs - two of them, so far. Food was scarce, and so therefore were skins.

Apart from the shortage of dinners, winter was doing Bazi a world of good. Her coat was thick and white again, and her ailing leg did better for itself with each day that passed. In all likelihood, it would heal completely - or at least enough allow her to maintain her Outrider status on this side of the mountains.

Come dawn, Bazi was totally pooped. She flopped to the ground, eyes on the clouded dawn in the east. It wouldn't be a particularly crisp winter's day, but she didn't care.

Kieran had been keeping a weather eye on the she wolf Bazi. Making sure he delivered food to her den if he caught some. he didn't know if she ate it, didn't really matter to him if she did. As long as he was doing something to help her and the pack he was fine. He hadn't had a chance to talk to any of the others since he had gotten home, but he was hoping to at least get to know his pack mates a little better. It did not bode well that he was living among many he did not know.

Kieran came upon her with a small offering in his jaws. Nothing special and nothing large, but it was something at least a bird of some kind. Of what he didn't know, but well it was at least something to eat. He dropped it at her feet and dipped his muzzle once. "'owaya miss bazi."

Her breathing had only just slowed down to normal when Kieran appeared. Sweet, dutiful Kieran, who brought her meat whenever he could, and probably skipped meals on her account. She was grateful for his sacrifice, and determined to pay him back when her health allowed it.

"And to you, my brave knight," she responded enthusiastically, rolling onto her belly to inspect the bird. "How on earth did you catch this?"

Kieran had been skipping quite a few meals but not just for Bazi. He figured if no one else was eating well he wouldn't either and when he did catch meat, which was rarely lately. It went to Bazi or someone else younger than him. Had he known there was a pregnant one among their midst it would have gone to her all of it, but he didn't so. He had seen a few years and he had muscle and fat and life. Didn't those younger deserve that too?

He gave her a small chuckle, his laughter warm and jovial like usual, but also par usual it did not meet his eyes."Mostly by chance miss. 'oweya 'oldin' up? feelin' better?"

"Ha - I don't believe you. I bet you have some kind of epic bird-hunting past," she fired back, grinning toothily at him, eyes twinkling in the cold dawn light. "Sit with me and skin it, will you?" Bazi invited, shuffling back (not that there was any point; they had endless fields to sit in) as a gesture that he should take his place in front of her. "One wing each?"

Kieran chuckled at her words. "Aye yer caught me. oi 'av extremely epic board 'untin' abilities. they jist fall oyt av de sky in front av me." He shook his head in mirth.

He nodded and picking up the bird, began to pluck the feathers out of it. He looked down at it at her next words. No it wouldn't even be a mouthful for either one of them.


"I'll ayte lay-ra. yer nade yisser strength ter git better an' start kickin' 'ole an' takin' names again."

Frankly, the meat on a bird wasn't worth the effort it took to catch one - but Bazi would not say that. It was an impressive accomplishments, even if Kieran claimed it had happened by chance, and it was a chance for the two pack-mates to bond over some menial task. Hunting wasn't chatty work, and she was too tired for border patrol.

"I don't think I'll be doing much of that," she responded, nipping gingerly at the long, stiff wing feathers. "I'm just a normal pack member now.. there are other wolves to choose from." She said it with a smidgen of self-pity in her voice, but to some extent, Bazi was a little relieved. There was time to do nothing now, and sleep, and think about frivolous crap that didn't matter. She felt guilty for it, but it was a freeing and luxurious feeling. "What about you? No leadership aspirations?"

Kieran knew the bird wasn't much and he should be embarassed by it, but truth was food was becoming hard to come by. So they needed to take what they could get and move on. Winter was not a gentle creature, it was harsh and unforgiving and you do best to remember that.

Kieran titled his head and sighed softly, He wasn't really sure what to say, but he spoke gently afraid to hurt her feelings or seem that he was talking against Scimitar. He wasn't and he would tell her that if she asked, he was just trying to make a point. "If a paddy is unwillin' ter take de love yer are offerin' wi' condishuns yer man isn't worth de time. love is somethin' dat can be fleetin', but if yer 'av it yer shud 'owl ter it as tight as yer can. an' if a paddy canny clap dat den 'e's a eejit."

Kieran chuckled and then in the same breath scoffed at her words. He laid his ears hard to his skull and a sadness seeped into his gaze. He had never had aspirations for leadership though Kiva had told him he would do well. Leadership reminded him of his brother and he missed him with an ache. He missed them all he was the only one left."Naw miss bazi. naw aspirashun for leadership. oi'm content ter jist be kieran o'malley board 'unter."

The advice was unsolicited, but not unwelcome. Bazi blinked slowly, absorbing the message beneath Kieran's heavy accent. This bump in the road - which is what she hoped they would see it as, years from now - was entirely her own doing. Bazi should not have run away from a crisis, even for a minute - but she had.

"I hurt him," she told Kieran. "I ran off. OK, the whole 'falling down a hole' thing wasn't my fault, but I chose to leave. I had something.. I think I had something, and I might have thrown it away now. Whatever he chooses, I deserve it."

Kieran looked at her as she listened to him, but he quickly averted his eyes. He didn't wish to make her uncomfortable or make her feel threatened or anything. Besides that if it worked out with her and Scimitar she would be the queen anyway.

Kieran stared at her for a moment and then spoke a little harsher than he meant too. "Pardon me miss for speakin' so candidly but, Yer both are fools. if yer are willin' ter clod it away over wan wee issue an' yer both are refusin' ter scrap for waaat yer 'av it won't work, trust me. love is not a set tin' in dis warrld an' if yer are jammy enoof ter 'av it, den yer better be wise enoof ter gie a wee both av yer. yer canny take al' de blame, jist as yer man canny thrust it al' on top av yer. it isn't roi nor is it fair an' in de end yer both 'ill lose."

Kieran responded with uncommon fierceness in his voice. It rather put her nose out of joint - he was comparing the bud of her almost-relationship with a rose in full bloom, and she did not appreciate the presumption. Fortunately, time alone had given her plenty of time for quiet reflection - and it struck the young wolf that maybe, just maybe, Kieran was not saying this stuff because he was a particularly rabid Scimbazi fanboy.

"Are you still talking about me and Scimitar?" she asked, watching him intently.

Kieran sighed at her softly spoken question and shook his head cocking his ears two different ways. "Aye an' naw miss bazi. oi'm blatherin' aboyt love in general. oi'm blatherin' aboyt even if 'tis not fully bloomed, yisser willin' ot let de chance slip by withoyt a scrap. an' clearly yer man is too an' let me tell yer miss bazi. whaen de wan yer love is gone, ah yisser gonna fale it an' 'tis better not ter 'av regrets that's al' oi'm sayin'. oi wus towl dis advice an' nigh oi'm passin' it on ter yer." He grew quiet he really had never been told this advice, but he wasn't going to tell her that he had lived it. WHy should he bring up Kiva to others? She was his secret heart break and he wasn't about ot let another know of her. Granted Miss Bazi wasn't exactly murdered and raped by the man that had given him this scar, but the thought was in a way still the same.

Bazi narrowed her eyes, unconvinced, but smart enough not to press the point. She didn't wish to get embroiled in someone else's emotional turmoil - certainly not if they weren't going to volunteer the story.

"OK," she responded plainly, clearly not experiencing their conversation on the same wavelength. At the very least, Kieran spoke of glowing embers - Bazi was not certain now that she and Scimitar would ever progress beyond that first little spark that had never quite started a fire.

Kieran would not volunteer the story. It was not something he wished to air to the world. he did not wish those he was growing to care for to know of his shortcomings as a brother, son, and husband. He did not wish to throw himself at their mercy for pity and good tidings, no he did not deserve the kindness in that area.

Kieran shook his head and offered her a small smile.
"Oi apologize for veerin' aff topic. perhaps a change av subject is in order yea? or wud yer prefer me ter take me leave?"

"No, no," Bazi assured him, shaking her head vigorously. "I want company. But let's talk about something else - the whole... Scimitar thing is too much for my brain right now."

She lowered her head and resumed plucking at the bird, kicking up a miniature storm of feathers. "So, are you a winter guy or a summer guy?" It was a subject less likely to result in awkwardness or conflict, and something Bazi could talk about for hours on end: the classic winter versus summer debate.

Conclude?

[size=x-small]Okay :)[/size]

Kieran gave her a small crooked smile, but obliged. He sought to think of safer topics. He lay down to his belly, head on his paws. He wasn't hungry, but he'd sit and talk to her while she ate.

He chuckled at her next question. Ah the age old debate, well he was sorry to disappoint but he didn't like either one. He didn't like the winter too much even though the ice crystals were pretty and the snow was crisp. Summer was often to hot for his fur, but it was nice to laze about, but even it wasn't his favorite."Neither oi'm a sprin' type av guy. al' de love an' de wee ones. an' de new plants an' flowers. yea oi'm a sprin' paddy."