Blackfeather Woods Jailhouse Tango

@Burke Set after "how to save a life"

Burke had survived the ordeal of the "bamboo-stick-in-mouth" in order to cure his bloat, and was now resting peacefully in her infirmary. Meldresi visited the tailless tank three times every day, bringing herbs, water, and liquid food (blood) to him. He was healing quickly, she had noticed, but the Dark Queen had ordered him to stay in the infirmary until he was fully recovered in her eyes. That could take weeks, maybe even a month or more, but at least he would be alive.

She was visiting him in the afternoon, wet moss draped across her back, dampening the fur of her ruff, and this time, a small hare clasped in her jaws. The hare was stuffed with various healing herbs and rubbed with honey to sooth his throat as he ate. The honey was hard to find in the early spring, but luckily for her the bees had been working hard this spring.

She approached the gray male quietly, dropping the hare by his mouth and shrugging off the moss from her back, bringing the green strands close to the hare. "Good afternoon, Burke. How are you feeling?"

So ready for this!

Burke laid in the infirmary to recover from his bloat. There was a 70% chance that he could get it again if he didn't rest well and let himself recover fully. Even if he was recovered it meant that he was still prone of getting it another time. This information was the only thing that kept the workaholic on his bed. He didn't want a relapse and he definitely didn't want another bamboo stick down his throat ever again. Every time he swallowed, drank or ate he could feel the soreness. Even his breathing was still a bit raspy. But no matter he survived and he was eternally grateful towards Meldresi. Burke wanted to work for her again, and he was rather frustrated he couldn't.

The large male didn't feel like eating when he spotted the hare Meldresi was bringing in. But naturally he didn't want to offend her, especially since he could smell the honey on it. She was too kind to think of that, to even conquer a beehive to get the honey. Burke felt himself soften up more. He slowly lifted his head and yawned. Meldresi was basically his very hot nurse. "Hey Meldresi," he croaked a bit. He had to clear his throat before his voice sounded like it normally did. "Frustrated, bored and annoyed," he returned the same three words as ever, but he had a more genuinely kind smile on his lips. "But better now I am seeing you," he returned. The healing herbs Meldresi gave him were great, since they also mellowed the pain in his throat and general soreness.

His pale eyes watched her. Now Meldresi was here she was his only source of entrainment and information. He sniffed her out too, to know who she has been hanging out with and if rain had fallen. "Who is in charge if patrol now? I think Ohen will probably do a good job he is a hard worker. Is there enough food in the caches? Maybe another pack hunt... Has Damien and Cicero been practicing?" Burke wasn't trying to tell Meldresi how to run her pack but those were the tasks he was usually doing. He felt frustrated he couldn't do anything. Burke placed his head down on his large paws and looked with a bit of a guilty (and terribly adorable) expression at Meldresi. "I think I have a problem.... I can't seem to stop working."

She matched Burke's smile with her own gentle one, sitting down close to the injured male. She curled into a slightly compact ball, her tail twitching lazily. The priestess snorted softly in amusement. Was Burke flirting with her? Or was it something created out his boredom and lonlieness in the infirmary. She had ordered her children to leave Burke alone while he was healing; they would make his recovery worst, despite their beliefs.

"I have been doing much of the patrolling. I need the exercise." She smirked, thinking back to her rotund stomach. She may have looked attractive to other wolves, but the Night Queen was too painfully aware of the weight she had gained after birthing her children. Having a few more hours patrolling the borders would offset that for the summer. "Ohen and the others have been making sure the pack's caches are full, though I intend on organizing another hunt eventually." Reaping the benefits of the newly revitalized Wilds would be their priority until they were once again at full strength. "Damien and Cicero have been working hard on their practices, every morning. You need not worry about them."

She cocked an ear back, a perplexed and amused expression. "Would you stop worrying about work if I commanded you to?"

Burke watched her with his pale eyes, curious glint in them. He was rather bored. But he tried not to show it. He was kinda missing being annoyed by the kids. And while the male never felt alone or lonely he felt now while he was in the confinements of the infirmary. His eyes moved to her belly. He found there was nothing wrong with it. The male shifted a bit. "Oh do you?," Burke spoke, glancing more over her. "I don't think you need to," he added. When he heard the news of the others hunting and the pups practicing Burke seemed very pleased.

He returned that amused smile to her. "I might since I listen to you without question,"he returned with a teasing grin. His throat was still a bit sore so he started to lick the honey of the hare and nibble on it. The large male looked grateful. "Do the kids not want to see me? I could use some more company,' he then admitted to her. He wasn't afraid or ashamed to let Meldresi know that he felt alone when she was away. Since he basically was their mentor already he could watch them in Meldresi's den or sit by Mel's den and train them from a sitting lying position.

The male moved a bit off his bed, shuffling closer to the female, like a weird crawling. His nose moved through her fur on the side of her neck. The male then tiredly placed his head on the ground next to her. Somehow he felt the need of more company. The infirmary was rather damp and cold at times.

"It's more vanity on my part, I suppose." She admitted, shrugging. Burke had not seen her before she gave birth to her triplets. She had a more curvaceous figure then, in her opinion. But it could not be helped; she was not one of those women who could instantly regain their figure after birthing children.

Meldresi smiled. "Good. That is all I ask." As long as her subordinates followed her orders willingly, she was pleased. Though, she was not as superficial as that. But it was the basis of pack life, wasn't it? "They do miss you, and they insist on coming here, but I did it for your own good." She said nothing as he crawled forward, slightly nuzzled her neck fur, and placed his head close nearby her. She didn't mind it, actually. "Perhaps in a few days, or maybe a week, I can move from the infirmary to a ground-level den. I will let you roam about more, but I do not think I will let you do any border patrolling until you are fully healed. Then you could train the pups all you want."

Burke looked at the female he always admired. Form the start he was entranced by her. His pale blue eyes fell onto her. Not really denying the fact that it was vain of her, but Burke himself was rather vain himself too. He wasn't really bothered by it. He actually appreciated it. One was allowed to look good. Burke was pleased to hear that the kids missed him. He felt more valued by those kids. Even though his trainings were strict they still liked him. "Damien probably wants to spar me, yes," Burke chuckled. The large male licked over his maw and closed his eyes as he laid against her.

"That I would like. I feel useless down here. I hate it," he returned to the priestess. "I could be useful when I am in a den with them." The added bonus was that he got Meldresi closet him too. The male kept his body against hers as he rested. "Were you ever mated to Bane? He is the father of your young right?," Burke asked curiously. He felt like the moment was right to ask a more personal question. "If you weren't then why did you accept to carry his young?," the male added. Burke had impregnated several females with being mated. He just liked to know Meldresi's reasoning. It could be she wanted to be a mother or wanted her genes in the next generation and Bane was the one to provide her that.

"Exactly why I wish to keep him out." She thought back to her son, and how annoyingly insistent he was on coming down here and visiting Burke. It was a dangerous notion, since he might tear something in Burke if they starting sparring. He was going to have to learn patience until Burke was healed enough to perform physical activities.

"It is only natural that you feel restless, but it will not be long now before you are up and about." Cabin fever was a trait many of the active wolves who became her patients had. She was used to seeing it among those who came to her aid. "If you wish, you could walk around the tunnels to stretch your limbs." As long as he stuck to the tunnels, he was least likely to meet with her children; they were still traumatized from their first experience in Mephala's Web.

Meldresi was silent for a brief moment; she was never truthful about her relationship with Bane. Her silence increased after he had disappeared, and she never spoke of him, neither to her pack mates, or her children, who she believed had forgotten him long ago. "I have never been mated to anyone. I did not accept to carry his young, he accepted being the father of my children." She held the power in their relationship; it was her will that allowed Bane to be so close to her litter in the first place. Whether or not she harbored any feelings for him as a mate was unknown, even to her. It was like they just faded after he disappeared.

Burke showed a hint of a fond smile because Damien would bug him until he would snap at him and a sparring match would start that was how things went. It was good that the cub would learn patience now and he would learn that injury was a serious think. He started to nod slowly, as far as he could since his head was resting on his paws and against Meldresi after all. 

The large male was pleased to hear that he could start walking the tunnels. That would keep his mind off things. He was sick and tired of laying on his moss bed and doing nothing but nap and look around. He knew it was of vital importance for his bruised organs to heal well. "I'm pleased to hear that," he spoke with a soft relieved sigh. The dark male lifted his head and nudged it against her playfully when Meldresi made sure for him to know that it were more here babies rather than Bane.

Burke liked the idea that Meldresi was never mated. He was never mated either now he didn't feel as weird as Morgana told him to be. She called him the one who didn't love, well she obviously didn't know him well because, Burke had quite some love to give if he wanted to. "That is clear. Never mated because you don't want to or never mated because you never found the one you like enough to be tied to?," Burke questioned curiously. For him it was the latter. He never found a female that he was remotely interested in devoting himself too, until Meldresi showed up. Bullet was starting to become a point of interest but she was so mysterious he was uncertain if he really knew her. 

Meldresi reciprocated the action, gently butting heads with the healing warrior. She added this action to the list of flirtatious acts Burke was doing towards her. The list was steadily growing, she noted. But she did not mind it. She did not even mind his questions, for once in her life. "Both." She answered. "For a worshipper of Mephala, mating is not a common practice, though not prohibited. It is mainly because of the risks involved with being one of her agents and it simply became a cultural aspect. I've never thought of having a mate because it was never pressured on me." Meldresi shifted subtly closer to Burke, the action going unnoticed even by herself.

"And I have not truly found anyone either. Bane was a child, a violent, lecherous child. I would have never mated with him." Despite whatever feelings I had for him. She remembered how distraught she was when he left, feeling betrayed and alone for a longer time than she had expected. But that was in the past now, and if he was still alive, he was a traitor by Blackfeather rule now. It could not be helped.

Burke appreciated the female opening up to him. He liked to have a conversation go deeper than just the commands or tasks he needed to do. It was clear the male was not such meathead that he couldn't keep a conversation going. Her point of view was interesting. It took also a perspective on his life and how Mephala involved in that now. "Interesting. I never thought about that in that way. It was never forced upon me either since before I came here I never found a female remotely interesting enough to be close with," Burke returned, making it very clear to put some emphasis on the 'before i came here'. Oh how not subtle he was.

The male knew at least that they were not only getting close body-wise but also bonding more. It felt like Meldresi was relieved that he was still alive. That feeling already make Burke feel more at home and comfortable in his pack. Before he got here his bother didn't care for shits if he would drop dead from exhaustion. "I did not know him that well to comment on that," the male spoke honestly. He didn't ask her where the male went since that seemed a sore spot for the female. Burke then turned the conversation around now he had the information he wanted to know. "I don't think I have really thanked you for saving my life," he then spoke to her, in a much softer tone. He already worked so hard so he couldn't work even harder to prove his gratitude. He already caught meals for the caches and Meldresi didn't feel like a girl who wanted flowers. Maybe a rare herb she needed?

Burke was not in the least subtle. A wolf of her cult would have used quieter cues to declare their affection and interest, but not Burke. He did an obvious hint that any child of her religion could detect in an instance. But Meldresi smiled regardless. It amused her.

She ignored the statement about Bane, just as Burke moved on to thanking her. "You don't have to, it's my job." She shrugged jokingly.

Burke let out a grunt in disapproval and nipped her playfully that he didn't agree. "There has to be something I can do for you to show my gratitude," Burke spoke. There was no second meaning in that or any flirty tone. The male seemed very serious to show her that he was glad to be alive. If this happened while he was a lone wolf then he would have died today. 

The tank glanced at her curiously, keeping his body next to her. "I wouldn't mind working even harder but I am not sure if I can do that soon."

She was relieved that there was no lustfulness in his tone when he asked if there was any more he could do for her. She was no slut, using her body as payment for a job well done. Even if there was some semblance (ok, maybe not semblance anymore, seeing how close he was now) of attraction between them. She hummed in contemplation, wondering what he could do.

"You can promise me that you will not do anything reckless like that again." She said finally, referring to the cause of this mess. "It's bad enough that when you get older you will start complaining of creaking bones and old wounds acting up again."

Burke snorted is disapproval and shook his head. "I wasn't reckless. I am never reckless. I found the buck that was injured and killed it. I ate from it because I was hungry and then two lone wolves ambushed me. That is not being reckless that is coming up for myself." Yes, if only the male hadn't eaten so much, but that was not being reckless that was being hungry. Burke nudged her once more. He licked how Meldresi was laying against him. It made his body all nicely warm. He could sure some warmth now his body wasn't moving so much. 

He nosed over the purple spider mark. Another question he had so many questioned it seemed. Normally he was too busy to think about those questions but now his mind was roaming free. Maybe he did needed a bit of a holiday. "But I will promise to eat only in small bits from now on. Would that give you some peace of mind?," Burke spoke a bit teasingly. Only because it was rather... cute how she worried so much about him. 

"You should know better. Though I cannot punish you for being hungry." She admitted, letting him win for once. How would he had known that would happen. "Though, the fact that two loners ambushed you is a worrying thought. I hope they will not return anytime soon." She had not scented any loners ever since his injury, which was a relieving thought. Winter was over now, so the loners would (hopefully) stop bothering the packs as food became more plentiful. Though, there were always those too lazy to hunt, there was always that risk.

She sighed happily as he nosed over her shoulder, enjoying the touch. Meldresi smiled back at Burke, equally as teasing. "Small bites and slowly. That will suffice."

I love this thread <3

Burke had to grin when she agreed that he was a bit in the right. He laid his head down again since it felt heavy and tired. His body was still recovering and he also realized he only licked bits of the honey of the rabbit. Not wanting to lose any muscle Burke reached out for it and started eating bits of the meat with small bites at promised. The large male eventually pushed he rabbit away for later. Burke was one to keep his promises Meldresi didn't need to worry about that. "See? Keeping my promise already," he murmured.

Burke then rested his head back against her, his eyes closing. A loud yawn came from him. Then he realized he never told Meldresi about his disagreement with Kove or how he heard from him that his son was out for blood or something. "I forgot to tell you. But I got in a disagreement with Kove," he started. "He apparently met a wolf that looked like me and acclaimed he was my son. Although, it is more that I am mad at him and he apologized... He took the word from a stranger and disrespected me. I don't have any sons. All because there is one wolf claiming he is my son and talking bad about me. No one looks like me. I see your children more as mine than this stranger he was talking about," he grumpily spoke. "It is more my annoyance towards Kove because of all the dark brother's I thought he was one that would never judge anyone. He had the wrong story by the way. That 'son of mine' is telling lies. If you have a wolf like that at the border please remove him."

This and the thread with Scarlett are my two favorites so far. X3

 
She sat in a content silence, letting Burke take a little bite to eat. He needed to regain his strength, and quickly; she needed his support in the coming months. When he finished eating and pushed the rabbit away, his head laid itself on her body again. She shifted, moving onto her side so he could use her soft belly almost like a pillow. The priestess smirked at the sight.
 
Her mood shifted when he began telling her of an altercation with his Dark Brother Kove. While she had not seen the ivory knight ever since he left to create Bearclaw Valley, she hated the fact that her remaining two Dark Brothers were fighting over something as insignificant as this. "I have met this wolf, Sebastian Thomas Rochester, he calls himself." She said, her tail curling leisurely. "There is no doubt in my mind that he is of your blood, even if he is not your son." She had not seen any of Burke's siblings, if he had any, but the similarity in their markings were more than enough to confirm some kind of relation. A very strong relation, that you would not see in uncles and nephews. "If Kove did take the word of this young man, I do not blame him for believing Sebastian."

I agree! :D They are so cute. Also think Burke&Mel bonding moment is even more adorable with each post.

Burke growled agitatedly when Meldresi spoke to him that she had met this wolf claiming to be his son and hadn't even told him. But on the other hand he preferred that. It was clear that Meldresi didn't believe him or judged him. That is what he liked. "So he even has two thirds of my name too?," The male growled disapprovingly. Burke flattened his ears. He was not quick to anger but this problem was starting to boil him up from the inside. He did mellow a bit when he realized Meldresi basically offered her belly as a pillow. He gave a quick lick over it as a thank you which looked rather adorable because he had such a grumpy expression.

"Well great someone younger than me with my looks. Bet he doesn't have my skill set," The male grunted and then stubbornly placed his head on Meldresi. Somehow her scent calmed him more. The male inhaled sharply. "I just wanted you to know, so you wouldn't be surprised. But apparently you know it already, like always," he spoke. It was meant as a compliment, since Meldresi seemed to have her way with having the information she wanted to know. "Sebastian is my middle name. Little thief." If Burke was really honest he was just being bitter about the fact that he never got the time to socialize with his own kid. Surly he knew that some of the pups were his but with him working himself to death there was no time to train them like he did now with Meldresi's young. Back then he was the only provider for the pack while here there were several more. It was a bitter memory. 

Burke let out a long sigh. "He is an adult now. What does he need me for? I don't need to know about him or how his life is going. He seemed to have reached adulthood, well congrats to him," Burke puffed. "Change of subject now," he then added and then managed to smirk at Meldresi. "I think I can definitely move to a den instead of this infirmary," such a smooth talker he was. Burke just liked to be closer to her now since there was a definite shift after his whole bloat ordeal. Burke liked it.

Agreed. <3]

"He did not name himself, so he did not really steal your name, did he?" She tried to bring some logic to Burke's angry tirade. He seemed rather agitated by this subject, which made her curious as to what might have happened. If she had not met Sebastian, she would have always assumed that Burke was a perfect father figure. "His mother named him, so blame her. And it is the gods' fault he looks like you." She said, a slightly smug smile appearing on her face as she called him out.

"Let me tell you something, Burke." She said, her tone serious now as the gray tank dismissed his son. "Where I was born, the Dark Brotherhood was strong and always active, less of a pack than Blackfeather Woods, but just as tightly knit, if not more. Almost everyone was out doing missions, and those missions were always dangerous. We could not go a week without someone being hurt, and there was always more than three deaths a year. Everyone got along in my sect, parents and children, siblings, friends; even if you did not like a person. We had to, because no one knew if the next mission would be their last, and if they would leave behind unresolved problems." She sighed; she had not thought of her dark birthplace in ages. It was a strange, nostalgic feeling to think of herself as a child again. "You and your son should make amends. Whatever caused you to dislike each other, you need to forget that and forgive each other. Then you can go your separate ways."

She frowned jokingly at Burke. "I am the healer here, and I say you shall stay in the infirmary until I say so." Look at him, trying to smoothtalk his way out of here. He still needed peaceful, undisturbed rest, away from her pups.

<3

Burke let out a grunt. Meldresi being the mother that she was scolding him for his hateful behavior. "I think i have the feeling who his mother was," Burke returned. There was only one female in that pack who was completely loyal to him, who saw what horrible things Burke's brother would do. The masked male grumpily let out a snort. Surely she had grown bitter when he left and turned that bitterness on her son. Burke grew quiet to listen to Meldresi's story. He knew he was a dark brother now, and also one that had close to being on the edge of death. The point was. Burke didn't want to make a mend. He just wanted to be left alone.

"But you don't understand. It isn't that I didn't want him to be my son or didn't want any offspring. I wanted to. Which was why I got some of the females knocked up in the first place. But I was young and I thought being the alpha was most important. Young and Reckless we knocked up every female in our pack. Once those little ones were popping their heads out of their mother's den. I realized that we had a lot of mouths to feed. The point being that my bother Darius was not the provider and caretaker he thought he would be. He was vile and arrogant. He only wanted to be alpha so he could order me around. I couldn't let those pups stave."

"I deserved to be the alpha. They listen to me. I provided the meals, I protected the borders. I was their counselor and their caretaker. I ran my paws from under my body to give them a good life to then come home to my brother Darius lounging around, fucking one of them or telling me what to do. Every time I went away he thought he was the alpha. He was not. I had to spar him on top of being mentally and physically exhaust. Of course he won many spars because I was tired of that day and it is also why I got my many scars. I didn't had the damn time to even socialize with the pups we created. I wanted to give them a life, a future. But one day I couldn't go on anymore. A switch in my head flipped. Why did I care so much? I realize I didn't. I did not even know the names of the pups. Especially not the ones that were born a year later and the year after that. I couldn't even participate. I don't even wanted to know them for the sole reason they would be of my brother's blood. I don't want anything to do with them."

Burke knew he had to calm down with his anger. "I am not going to be judged by the one that calls out to be my son, because I didn't have time for him. Thanks to me that little rat is still alive," Burke let out. "I don't see why we have to start socializing now. He grew up under Darius command. I don't want to have anything to do with my past or anyone related to my brother." The reason of that was because Darius was the only one to ever break Burke. It might also be the reason why he worked so hard. It was natural for him. "I learned from my mistake and that kid was one of them. I don't need to be reminded or that. I'm going a fine job here in this pack and with your children. If he hates me so much then why look for me. I'm not going to be insulted."

Burke let out a soft growl and then placed his head back against Meldresi. His smooth talking didn't work. "Then I demand more visits," he spoke. He just realized how much they both shared about their past.

Meldresi went silent as he spoke, just as he did for her. And like him, she absorbed the information and took it into consideration. She had not heard Burke's full story before, and it did shed some light on his reactions towards Sebastian and Kove. As Burke spieled, his tone raised in anger. Bringing back all of those memories had reawakened emotions in him that he had hidden inside him so he could move on. She prepared to stop him and tell him to calm down, but he had stopped himself.

When his rant was over, she was quiet for a few more moments as he laid his head on her side again. She did not want to say anything else; he had to released whatever negative energy was pooling inside of him, and she did not want to stir it again with her words. "I promise to visit you more often. Twice a day if I can manage it." She promised him.

We can wrap this one up is you want <3 And then I can make a new one! :D

Burke slowly closed his eyes. He wasn't sure if it was a good thing Meldresi didn't say anything about his past or if it was a bad thing. Maybe she disliked him now. But then she was good at not showing it because when she spoke she was telling him that she would visit him twice a day. A pleased smiled turned on his muzzle and then stayed laying by her. The effect the isolation had on him came to a surprise. He never was this needed for social contact. Maybe he was but never noticed.He wondered how far he could push Meldresi. Would she spend the night here with him instead of her young. They were old enough right?

Burke didn't say anything instead of placing himself more against her so he was harder for her go get away. That sounded so creepy but Burke didn't meant it in a creepy way. He would let her go if she would need to leave for once of her duties. All Burke hoped was that he could get out of this infirmary soon. 

Last post. What a lovely thread. :D

Meldresi let Burke increased his hold on her. She had already let him go this far, after all. The last time she had such intimate touch from a male was the last time she had sex with Bane. She did not have a romantic relationship with Bane; it was duty, and her duty spawned three spiderlings that were going to grow into dangerous creatures in the coming months.

The Night Queen wondered if she found a Consort in Burke. He was her strong second-in-command after all, and it was common for Queen Regents to bed their commanders, from what she had seen. But for the moment, she simply laid there, content in his embrace. Queens and Kings did not matter right now.