Frostfire Ridge half a life to rewrite

The morning was partially cloudy, though dark enough that Týrr would not have been able to initially discern this if not for the small sliver of moon — a mere crescent in the velveteen heavens above his head; because of it's small stature and the darkened clouds that moved to conceal it occasionally it did not off put much light for the Rekkr as he moved through the heart of Frostfire Ridge. He wished to speak with Tuwawi and warn her about Xiuhcoatl — he was weary of his aunt and Nochtli had confirmed that it was for good reason. Though he feared Xiuhcoatl turning his garrison against him he worried the most about Tuwawi; and admittedly there was quite a few other things he wished to speak to the wildfire of but he garnered on the line of trepidation in regards to his affections. She deserved to know whether she felt the same, could maybe feel the same given time, or it would never happen. The to-be King had failed to tell her the first time and had been afraid he'd lost her for good and that the chance would never return. He did not want to live with such regrets, he knew now; yet there would be time later. 

As his excitement for Frostfire Ridge's creation grew to paramount within him he found himself waking up earlier and earlier, too restless to toss and turn within his bachelor den and feign to sleep. If anyone of his garrison had woken due to the close proximity of their dens (kind of taking away the feel of “bachelor pad”) they would not be fooled by his constant fidgeting. He even tried rising, circling and plopping back down several times to no avail. He could not sleep and eventually had given up the charade. He wanted to see it done; to see his patience rewarded and his ideas come to fruition and become real.

Restlessly he paced the path to each of the territories caches, making a mental inventory of which ones appeared low and which ones could be taken from. Should children be a possibility for them this year — though he did not hold his breath for many reasons; one of the main being he was the only male that occupied the ranks — he wanted to make sure they were well prepared for ...anything. The tides of fate could turn so quickly and he would not have any of his subordinates starve. From the caches he moved to the faint line of scent that would eventually become strong when they finally staked their claim here and truly they were ready. He had gathered a strong founding (despite that most of them found him and refused to leave him) but just as Xiuhcoatl desired to see them all leave to Coatl's Rise, Týrr desired to see them stay and prosper under his rule. His idea was not to replicate Coatl's Rise, because as a male he believed in gender equality and because he desired to rule here, not follow someone else, but to take the aspects that he liked from what he could remember and what he'd been told and improve upon them; to herald the new era for the amazon women but not in a pack that would not accept him as it's true King.

Frostfire Ridge would be strong and it would be glorious, Týrr could not help but (chauvinistically) think. Crystalline gaze followed the shadows of the territories outside of the Ridge, outside of what would soon become his borders, always perceptive and vigilant. In truth, while it was something of a patrol the Rekkr also hoped that the notion would exhaust him into being able to get a few more hours of shut eye, though he was not so confident on that.

Thread Title Credit · The Future Is Now — Starset

The ember's first few days upon the ridge had gone well. After Tyrr had given her the tour, Tuwawi struck out on her own to explore the taiga's land, starting from the territory's precipice and winding back into its center. She liked it, especially since some if its borders overlapped with the glacier's familiar alpine forests. She knew how to expertly traverse the northern expanse and made quick work of the trails. 

The sky began to brighten as she headed back towards Frostfire's heart. Dawn was quickly approaching — had she really been out all night? Weary, the red women sought out a resting place (as she had no den to call her own) but managed to stumble upon the roaming Tyrr, instead. His presence unmistakable even in the dim light. "Tyrr," she said to him with a muted voice — as if not to wake any other who might be slumbering near by — "Or should I call you Tezcacoatl?" she smiled, sidling next to him. "Why are you awake so early?"

Týrr gave a start when he heard Tuwawi's voice drift towards his receptive ears, splayed to either side of his skull as it's hushed tone took the shape of his name. “Tuwawi?” He responded. Though it had been a ridiculous notion to think he was the only one awake and about this early it came as a surprise to see her fire kissed form emerge from the shadows around them, as if she melted suddenly into existence. A soft chuckle rumbled in the Rekkr's chest when she inquired if she should call him Tezcacoatl instead as she slid next to him. His smile was a mirror of her own, though there a slight cheekiness to his. “You may call me whichever name you prefer.” He would answer to both. While the Amazons knew him as Tezcacoatl, Tuwawi had only known him as Týrr; but as he'd said he would let the choice up to her. After all, he was known by many names, though the others were alias taken at from Odin's many names when he'd been trying to get under Ragnar's skin — shortly before the dream and the need to end the Viking's life had all but consumed him with the obsession it'd become. It had felt like he could not progress further in his future if he hadn't done what he'd done. Killing Ragnar had buried that grievance and Týrr felt at peace now, so long as the man's widow and children left it rest; and if not then Týrr would kill them too though he had tried to keep innocents out of it.

“My thoughts won't allow me sleep,” The Rekkr replied sheepishly, though honestly. “There are a few things I'd like to talk with you about, if you're willing?” Better now than never, right? At the very least he wanted to warn her about Xuihcoatl. “A woman named Xiuhcoatl has joined our ranks recently,” Týrr began, making it clear that he didn't remember her. “She calls herself my aunt, but I have spoke with Nochtli about it and I fear she's trying to sabotage Frostfire. She wants me to go back to Coatl's Rise that much is clear and from what little I've spoken with her she isn't the type to surrender easily,” If she was anything like him? Then no she was not the type to surrender. “I don't want her to hurt you or anything to get to me so just be careful around her.” Because Týrr was sincerely worried about it. Not that Tuwawi couldn't hold her own he knew well enough that she could. However, Xiuhcoatl seemed like the “do whatever it takes, at all costs” kind. 

After that admittance he fell silent, crystalline gaze leaving Tuwawi for a few moments to scan the free territories beyond Frostfire though there was nothing suspicious about the shadows.

Tyrr — always the humble man. Call him whatever she wanted? That was asking for trouble. Tuwawi jeered, toothy grin and impish look directed towards the crowned man. Though she smiled, Tuwawi couldn't help but assume her friend felt a bit lost when it came to his identity. She could emphasize, never having a strong sense of self. Many packs had influenced her behavior. Kindred. Tartok. Swiftcurrent. Duskfire. It was a broad spectrum, from feral and dangerous to compassionate and proud. There were Northern roots and Southern. Fauve, Proudheart, and Tuwawi. Now, she was nothing but an odd cocktail. The only thing that had remained unchanged was the burning scarlet down her back.  

However, the man's attitude took a sudden change. His aura became solemn, gaze serious. Tuwawi took a seat besides him, smile fading into a focused look. She nodded. Of course she could spend the time to talk, especially for any important matter.

Xiuhcoatl Tuwa repeated in her mind, listening intently to what Tyrr had to say. It seemed there was more to his history than she had assumed. Had there been more to Nochtli's banter than Tuwawi had first realized? "I will," the ember agreed, heeding the prince's advice. Tyrr was never the type to joke around about things like this. "It must be a lot... to bear, I mean. All these wolves from your homeland? They are here to bring you back to Coatl's Rise? Why?" Suddenly, Tuwawi was full of questions. Why would they go so far as to sabotage Tyrr's ambitions. Couldn't they just go home if they wanted to? "Are they all against you?" Tuwawi new one or two things about that.

Týrr caught Tuwawi's jeer from the corner of his eye as he routinely lifted his gaze to sweep the no man land's though for the third time since he'd done it nothing and no one appeared to be there, the edges of his lips curling into something wicked for the briefest of moments. To assume that all of his garrison, or his aunt, had stayed asleep was a lot to hope for but the Rekkr hoped for it nevertheless. There were some things that he rightfully wanted to keep private though the idea of hoping for anything close to a private life when they were always watching was silly. As it was they knew more about him than he did himself and in some ways, when Týrr allowed himself to think about that, it bothered him. He yearned to remember what Ragnar had stolen from him but he had learned not to pry. He took the head splitting headaches to be a warning — that he wasn't ready to remember the bulk of it. Perhaps he would never fully remember. It was a truth he'd come to accept though getting his garrison and aunt to accept it would be the biggest hurtle he had to take on. 

A part of Týrr felt bad for holding her up, and told himself that he would not keep her long. There was certain relief when Tuwawi heeded his warning about Xiuhcoatl. For a uneasy moment he had worried that she might think him as paranoid and brush him off. Though it did not wholly take away the edge, nor the concern for the wildfire queen he did feel a little better. “Sometimes it is,” But the burden would be downplayed. It wasn't anything he couldn't handle. “I think Xiuhcoatl is the only one that might be an issue,” Might was likely putting it mildly. “She will kill me if she thinks it will get her what she wants.” She had told him as much; though Týrr did not see why killing him would do anything. What was the point in dragging a corpse back to Quetzalcoatl? It wasn't as if he could be resurrected. If he was dead, he was dead. “Apparently it was the orders of the Queen, who also happens to be my mother, but even if what happened...if I wouldn't have lost my memory there always had to be the consideration within her that I might not come back.” At least this was the logic he would have taken.

“I don't think so,” Týrr responded, but he couldn't say the words without a little doubt. “Nochtli seems different than the others and when I asked her about Xiuhcoatl she was honest and forthcoming with me. She didn't try to deny what I had learned myself,” And that earned his trust. “And it's hard to believe that Manauia would betray me but she has never tried to hide her discontent with this place.” So that put her in the 'unknown but maybe' category. In hindsight, it was a waiting game, though he knew he had to try to stay a step ahead of Xiuhcoatl. He would not lose is pack nor his rule because she couldn't accept change, nor let him here as he had petitioned all along. At least in the Wilds he wasn't threatening traditions spanning back generations of women, and he wasn't ripping the Rise apart at it's core.

If there was one thing Tuwawi had learned, it was that family could be complicated as hell. Relationships were never black and white . Even though she dared to ask why Tyrr just didn't send his threatening aunt away (God knows he had the physical strength to do it) the ember knew it was easier said than done. There was history, there. And further more, it had been his own mother who had send her emissary, Xiuhcoatl, to retrieve her son. Tyrr couldn't very well just spurn his mother by injuring a blood relative... no matter how nefarious the woman was. 

"Yeah, Manauia has been with you a long time and Nochtli seems like she had a good temperament. Plus you can count me to be on your side," Tuwawi smiled as she pressed her shoulder against his, hoping to ease his mind. After all, he did seem a bit fidgety... as if Xiuhcoatl would pop out from behind a tree at any given moment. "We have both seen our fair share of strife. At this point, I don't there's anything you or I can't overcome." Tuwawi fell silent for a few moments to watch the morning mist roll between the pines. "I'm happy you stayed in the taiga," she admitted, "I wasn't sure where to go after what had happened... I felt so lost. But now... I feel at home again. At peace. Even with your aunt looming in the shadows," she joked, hoping to lighten the mood.

omg i'm nervous for tyrr, haha. xD

Týrr knew that he would endure what Xiuhcoatl decided to throw at him, that he would take it because he was obligated to (or so he thought), but there was a limit to how much he would take if she branched out, if she realized that she could beat him within inches of his life and his mind would not waver. He would protect what was his, even if it was from a domestic threat. They might have been blood but he had the distinct feeling that she hadn't been a very loving aunt to Tezcacoatl if her defiance and venomous words were of any indication. “I'll hold you to that,” Týrr murmured leaning ever so slightly into her touch, discreetly savoring the press of her shoulder against his. “We have, haven't we?” Though the question was strictly rhetorical. Týrr had secluded himself when he found the truth and half way made the trek to Coatl's Rise when he lost Larus and Njal's trail the first time that her husband had left, and bore his burden alone when he no longer had anything to focus upon. In the heaviest and darkest moments of his identity crisis he had been glad that he had decided not to return to the Glacier immediately; but Týrr was glad he'd been there with her through her strife (or the trials he knew of anyway). Admittedly, her rejection of Njal had utterly surprised the Rekkr and he was sorry for how it had ended for them. 

“But you know, we are stronger for it.” He truly believed it, too. Crystalline gaze sought the wildfire queen's face when she spoke to him, his heart feeling like it had leapt into his throat. He was glad he could give her something back in return. He wanted her to be happy, and the fact that he was able to do something for her made him feel the satisfaction of giving. She'd done so much for him, and he was pleased to return the favor. “I understand,” Maybe not in the same way for their situations were different but he could sympathize a little. “I'll keep you safe,” Týrr teased her knavishly, a soft chuckle rumbling in his chest; though he was serious, as well. She may not have needed his protection but he wouldn't let Xiuhcoatl hurt her, or anyone else for that matter. He was one thing but the others? They had nothing to do with her grievances with him.

Týrr took in a deep breath, the morning air slightly cool as it rushed down to his lungs and let it out as he contemplated for a few seconds. “Tuwawi I ...there is something you should know,” A billion insecurities rushed into his head all at once, swarming like angry bees telling him not to do it, that it was probably too soon, that it would probably ruin their friendship but he'd already started it and if he stopped now he knew he'd never do it again. “I care about you, a lot; in more than just a platonic way,” Nearly the same words he'd said to Nochtli when speaking about this very subject, ironically. “I have for a while, actually, and before I was afraid to tell you,” He was nervous as hell but he couldn't claim that he was necessarily afraid. He'd grown up enough to take rejection with a knock on his chin and move on and he wouldn't ever dream of holding it against her. “I was afraid it was too soon, which it could be and I'm sorry. I don't ...mean to complicate things and I don't want this to change our friendship if ..reciprocation isn't, if you don't or can't feel the same way. I value you too much to lose you over something like that.” He should have left it alone, or lied. Said something else entirely, but he wanted her to know. He wanted her to know that if she'd have him he was an option, for a relationship, for siring children, or for nothing more than a friendship. 

His ears splayed to the side of his head as he looked away then, feeling timid. He felt like an idiot — and his lack of experience in the area certainly didn't help matters any. “I didn't mean to ruin the moment,” He murmured apologetically, just in case, with a nervous laugh.

Tuwawi looked into the mist with a soft expression when Tyrr agreed that there was little the world could throw at Frostfire that they hadn't seen – the ember’s mind too jaded by the past. She let out a breath, reflecting on how her experience could best suit the pack as her comrade made the promise of protection. I'll keep you safe, he mused. Tuwawi shot him an impish grin with narrowed eyes. Oh how the tables had turned. For so long it had been her responsibility to protect the pack and her family, but now she would be the one to seek sanctuary beneath the new king’s omnipotent rule. Yet, she could not deny the small flutter in her breast upon his admission, unaccustomed to someone declaring such an oath in her honor.

An easy silence fell between them in the dawn, but Tyrr was the first to break it. One red ear turned when the amazon drew in a sharp breath as if he was about to speak. Suddenly, there was a new energy about him. She noticed an uncertainty to his gaze and changed expressions. Her brows pinched, a bit worried as he began to speak with a tentative lilt. Something I should know? Tuwawi thought to herself. At that moment Tyrr could have said any number of things – and she braced herself for the worst. Instead, he touched on a far more personal topic.

She listened closely, taking in every word and nuance upon his face as Tyrr confessed his true feelings. Tuwawi’s chest thrummed madly, her skin turning a bright shade of pink beneath unkempt fur. There was no denying that she had picked up some of chemistry between them, but her denial ran so deep that it had set her heart on lockdown. Tuwawi had long believed no one could harbor strong emotions for her — as if it were not biologically possible. She had lost the privilege of love by so badly screwing it up the first time around. She wasn’t allowed to have such nice things. They weren’t meant for her.

Right?

A stabbing, pavlovian guilt curbed the new, enamored sensation almost immediately. When she had pushed Njal away a piece of her had gone with him, as it had with each of her children. Was there anything else left for Tuwawi to give? Baby steps, she reminded herself – trying not to put the horse before the cart and crush the small, fragile romance while it was still blooming. Her stormy eyes traced Tyrr’s face, reading his uncertain expression. It would be easy to end it now. If she did, nothing would be risked — not their hearts or minds. But Tuwawi didn’t want to live a half-life alone and bitter, even though it was the only thing she thought she deserved.

She looked away, biting her lip. Her lids fluttered briefly trying to think of what to tell him. How do I let him down easy? she thought, her fight response beginning to succumb to flight. Escaping the conversation was the answer. Wasn’t it? Her baggage was unbearably heavy in that moment, but when she looked back to Tyrr his pale blue eyes and expectant face practically melted her.

The ember silently leaned into him and rested her ruddy crown upon his broad shoulder, muzzle pressing into his dense summer coat. The gesture made it clear she reciprocated his feelings even thought it would be a challenging fight to overcome the instinct to stave her affection… but like she had thought before — baby steps. 

As the silence stretched on between them, Tezcacoatl was patient, of course, but internally preparing himself for the rejection, for the breach that would be the Trojan horse within his vulnerable self. It would hurt, but it wouldn't have been anything he couldn't overcome, and as he'd told her: he wouldn't have held it against her. Tezcacoatl understood what she was going through. He might not have known (not really) so therefore he could not sympathize but he'd been there with her the day she'd defied every expectation he'd had and rejected Njal, chasing her mate off as opposed to taking him back as Tezcacoatl had thought she'd have done. He couldn't understand whatever turmoil his words might have caused her, but he afforded her the patience that she needed, regardless. Tezcacoatl could only assume that it was probably hard. He hadn't experienced this kind of thing before with the seriousness that he felt now. Boyhood crushes (or girlfriends) had been fleeting, as they'd been meant to be; and at first Tezcacoatl had thought he'd harbored just a crush on Tuwawi. If it had been such it would have burned out when she was absent from the Wilds, but it hadn't. He'd been able to push it aside to focus on founding Frostfire Ridge but it'd been there all the while, flickering like a defiant flame he wasn't able to smother.

Tuwawi looked away, and Tezcacoatl's shoulders steeled as his heart beat rapidly within it's prison of flesh and bone, dreading the next few seconds as they dragged on. Here it comes, he'd always known it was a possibility, and had resolved himself to it for the sake of knowing the stakes, but he wasn't sure he was ready for the rejection, regardless.

Yet, Tuwawi did not breach the silence; no words of rejection fell from her lips. As his heart hammered hard enough to make him fear it would pound right out of his chest, it stuttered once as he drew a sharp, surprised breath and held it when he felt the press of her head against his shoulder. The terse set of his shoulders relaxed when he felt the burrow of her muzzle into his fur, the breath he'd been holding released. No words were needed, the gesture was clear enough, even though he still felt surprise thrumming through every tendril of his fur. Surprise mixed with something else, relief? Jubilation? He grew warm around his muzzle, as he took another breath, soft and nearly inaudible this time. “We'll take it as slow as you want,” Tezcacoatl spoke softly, promising. He had no intentions of pushing her, and he had no reason not to let her adjust at her own pace. Not that it wouldn't be an adjustment for him, because this was all new to him, but he was determined to prove that he was worth her affections. All his blabbing still made him feel a little bit like an idiot, but Nochtli'd been right: it felt good to get it off his chest, and better still that his affections did not go without reciprocation. 

Last post for me =^__^=

Tuwawi could hear the soft flutter of Tyrr’s heart beneath his tepid skin, her own breast still drumming nervously. She closed her eyes to savor the moment. Was it a mistake to feel this way? Honestly, her affection for the prince felt a bit forbidden. She was nearly two years his senior and had known him for quite some time. Though she cared little for the opinions of others, a lingering sense of self-doubt unnerved the ember. However, the shadow’s rumbling voiced soothed her worries. ‘We’ll take is as slow as you want,’ he crooned to her, to which the flame only pressed harder into his alpine-scented pelt. “Okay,” she murmured feeling coy despite her expertise in the area of romance.

The bridge of her nose moved across his neck’s deep scars, until her maw rose to plant a small kiss upon an umber cheek. She would sit with him until dawn, side by side, to enjoy his company as the first light hit the ridge.

Tezcacoatl felt the press of her muzzle apply more pressure to his neck as he made his assurance, inhaling deeply, contendtly and letting it out in a soft exhale when she responded simply but with acceptance. The moment was perfect, he thought, thought part of him was still reeling in jubilation over the fact that she was actually receptive to his affections. He made a mental note to thank Nochtli for her advice later. An uneven breath caught in the column of his throat when he felt her soft kiss to his cheek, the skin beneath the earthen colored fur warming. He wondered for a moment if it made him too childish to blush (or the wolf approximation, anyway) over a small kiss, but then he chased it away. Tezcacoatl remained silent, basking in her presence, in the feel of her soft curves against his side as they watched the sun rise together. It was not a moment that the Rekkr was bound to forget anytime soon and while it was the newest memory he'd made with Tuwawi he would treasure it as if it were his last.