rearrangement - closed

[ethereal .]

𝐗𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐀 𝐆𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐆𝐎

𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗱; 𝘀𝗶𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗸 | 𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗱; 𝐜𝐚𝐭, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐬 | 𝘄𝗰; 779

more often than not, ximena had the ability to sleep through a hurricane. give or take on the dramatics. however, the sound
of her mother's scolding tone is never something she can ignore whether it's directed towards her or not. she'd only managed to
fall asleep maybe two or three hours ago, and frankly she would have loved to just pretend that her mother wasn't giving the
other girl a much needed talk about hygiene. if she was being completely honest, it was hard to ignore the fact that she could
smell whatever stench that was wafting off of them from across the truck. her nose wrinkled instinctively at the thought, nervous
eyes fluttering as they landed on the strangers across the way.

in more ways than one, she felt bad for the two. just looking at them she could tell they've struggled one way or another for a
long time. if the matted hair, obvious lack of deodorant, and inability to speak properly weren't a dead give away then the orange
jumpsuits definitely were. pushing herself up from the floor she winced the slightest bit. maybe falling asleep on the hard floor
wasn't the best of ideas considering the ache that was working its way up her side. she was just getting ready to sweep her hair
out of her face when she noticed a little six-legged creature making it's way across her hand. sucking in a sharp breath she shook
her hand aggressively and pulled herself backwards along the floor. this has to be a joke.

ximena had no idea how long she sat there listening to her mother go on while her skin crawled. she just wanted to go home. never
will she understand why she had to leave her life behind because of someone else's idiotic choices. there was no way she could
get out of that truck fast enough. barely waiting for her mother to call after her before scrambling out, nearly leaving her bag behind.
cursing silently she shook her clothes out, even going to the extent of flipping her hair over and running her hands through it over
and over again. only flipping it back over to give her mom a wide eyed look, "you can't be serious." not necessarily talking to her,
but she was teetering on the edge. of what exactly? who knows.

only then did her surroundings start to become clear to her. slow, deep breaths came back out in faint puffs and that's when she
noticed the slight sting in her lungs. it was colder than what she was used to. a whole lot greener too. her hands slid up her arms as
her gaze dragged up and all around. she'll admit, it was pretty. there was something about wide open spaces that really got her
blood pumping. not to mention all the trees. it was hard to explain. all she knew was she could stand there for hours just admiring
the scenery. looking back, she could tell catalina wasn't exactly feeling the same way she was. it was the look in her eyes that gave
her away. the same look she gave ximena when she was too upset to even go into one of her common rants. sooner or later she
will come around the same way ximena already was. maybe. hopefully.

she was half tempted to start weaving her way through the small groups of people scattered here and there. a few of them already
making their way up the muddy path covered in shoeprints. exactly how many of them where there? more than fifteen from what
she could tell, at least. the real question was, how much trouble would she be in if she left her mom with the two feral, bug infested,
strangers? better to ask for forgiveness than permission right? she was an adult anyways. maybe she'll just have to keep herself on her
toes and expect the flying shoe at all times. it wasn't anything she wasn't used to already. glancing over her shoulder, she gripped the
strap of her bag even tighter. cat would never notice. not for a few minutes anyways.

quickly and quietly she slipped away and through the small crowd. looking up every now and then when she caught bits and pieces of
conversations going on around her. the closer she got to the trail the more nervous she felt. others have obviously already gone
this way, but she still didn't know what was beyond the tall trees. thankfully, she was able to fall in line behind another group, but
she kept her distance of course. if anything, the man built like a brick wall acted as good cover.

[honeycomb `]

✦x//xx❝ ＮＥＲＩＳＳＡ ＣＨＯ！！！

xxx[ mood // frustrated, annoyed ]xx[ tagged // sawyer ]xx[ mentions // n/a ]xx[ role // wilson creek alpha ]xx[ wc // 900 ]xx
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xxxThe day was brisk like any other, not that the cold ever brothered Nerissa. She found a certain kind of comfort in the cold, it reminded her of her home life as a young child, were here parents were cold to her, and the only warmth she had ever knows was the family nanny who had raised her. Unsurprisingly she found that the cold was comfortable and it made her feel secure. In her hand was a cup of hot coffee, her regular order of black coffee with no cream or sugar, which was from the coffee shop which was just a block away from her apartment. She had a routine which she never strayed from, which was probably why it was so easy for the men to grab her. Three came from behind after the first one bumped into her, making her spill the black coffee. The warm liquid spilled on the ground, staining the pavement a dark umber as steam rose from the ice cold ground. she was quickly overpowered by the four men who had ambushed her, and before she knew it she was thrown into the back of what first seemed like a van. The only thing that came to mind was maybe she was being kidnapped and held for ransom because of her parent’s money. That thought changed immediately once she saw that sawyer was also in the same vehicle.
xxx“guess they got you too obviously,” she muttered to sawyer as she pulled herself onto the seat next to him. She was sore from the men grabbing her, but more than anything she was rightfully pissed off at how they had treated her, and they had made her spill her eight dollar cup of coffee. The alpha sneered hearing her packmates tone as he suggested that this was they way they died. Honestly if these men where smart they would choose to let the two of them go before laying another hand on her. Both she and sawyer looked delicate, almost fragile because of their attractive and elegant features, but truthfully even Nerissa knew that she and sawyer could easily take these goons out if push came to shove, but she chose to bide her time for now.
xxxNerissa could hear the shrill howls of wind outside as the vehicle drove farther from what she called home. She was nestled close to sawyer for not only warm, but also comfort. As much as she hated to admit it, this whole situation made her extremely anxious and uneasy. While there was a lot that she wanted to say to the people who had taken both her and her packmate, she kept her opinions suppressed, for now. There were no windows in the vehicle so she could not see where they would headed, but it seemed that they had been driving for at least forty-five minutes; but in which direction? It had frustrated her that they had been so rough with her when shoving her into the vehicle, but not telling them what was happening just pissed her off more. Obviously sawyer also had a lot to say to the men who had taken him; in fact her packmates barely stopped yammering on about things that were seemingly random.
xxxBefore long, they stopped and the two of them were again shoved out of the vehicle. She watched as sawyer was basically thrown to the ground, and tripped by one of the men. She could feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, and her need to shift engulfed all of her being. Were these goons never taught any manners by their parents, because if not Nerissa was sure to begin to teach them a few lessons. Surprisingly the alpha was not a confrontational person by nature, but if there was one thing that could piss her off was when someone other than her pushed around the one person she cared fro more than herself.
xxxShe shot a angry glare towards the man who tripped sawyer, “don’t you dare touch him again unless you want to lose the parts that touch him,” she hissed to the man as she put herself in between him and sawyer.
xxxThe man just laughed at her before grabbing her wrist tightly, “careful little girl, there is no telling how many ways a girl could disappear in woods like these.” Nerissa struggled to get out of his grasp, tired from the drive and discouraged because of her sudden relocation. The man just laughed and let go of her wrist before loading the others back into his vehicle and driving away. They had really just left them there, but why?
xxx“Really, it’s the flower that you are concerned with? Does it seem like they brought the vase with them for you to do your flower arrangements with,” she told sawyer in a cold tone. She had no idea where they were or how far they were form home. They had taken multiple turns to get to where they were, and the lack of visuals she had while they were in the vehicle disoriented her a bit to say the least. When the wind changed directions she quickly picked up the scent of others, more wolves, but not familiar scents. “Lets get a move on, we at least need to find shelter,” she told him while slinging her back over her shoulder.

[I'm done delete me.]

𝐋𝐎𝐊𝐈 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐍 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[ 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬: 𝟗𝟎𝟗 ]

xxx [ 𝟐𝟖 ] [ 𝐌𝐀𝐋𝐄 ] [ 𝐄𝐋𝐊 𝐒𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 ] [ 𝐁𝐈 ] [ 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐬: - | 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: harlow, casper. ]
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While the soldiers dispersed moving away from the wolves they had dumped. Loki found himself behind the bushes until they had gone, coming out from his hiding place he saw Casper with his duffle bag. Making his way over to the familiar face crowded by the new ones. His ears perked to hear Casper calling him a moron, his nostrils flared giving him a warning growl with his fangs showing slightly through his lip line. Leaving the werewolves after they stated they were heading into the cabin. The black wolf bounded off, not interested in any such further conversation with the new faces he saw. He was not one to socialise nor did he want to know them, he will know them in his own time.

Casper was right he needed to blow off some steam. Wishing to run into those soldiers again so he could take action upon them. He was livid with these pent up emotions that had woken within him. Hearing his father voice inside his head telling him how worthless he was. His mother was ashamed of him the look in her eyes had broken him. Loki remember how he had left her in tears when he left with nothing but the clothes on his back. They never tried to reach out to him after he was kicked out, he didn't expect them to either. Some days he would go back to his family home looking into the windows of the people he grew up with but also kicked him out into the cold. Loki found them not to care that he was gone from their lives they all seemed rather happy without him. Now booted of another home because the government was frightened of what he was. Loki snarled at the thought, tearing up the ground beneath him with his claws digging into the dirt he ran on. It felt as if this part of the earth had rarely been touched by humankind there was no deforestation here. However, It seemed the only thing the government had given them was a roof over their heads but still that wasn't enough in his eyes there was no freedom here, he was imprisoned within their borders unable to escape unless he was looking to lose his life.

Slowing his speed he scouted the surrounding area taking note of the territory they were trapped in. His blue eyes scanned the site taking in every little detail. Yes, it was beautiful but he couldn't help feel like this was a death trap for them all. He was unsure what his pack may think of this place and why the government put them here. He found this suspicious. Why force them out? Why trap them? Why not just kill them and dispose of them? The government was terrified of them but still what did the nation think? Did they can't them dead?

He remained wary of these thoughts that clouded his mind with his ears pinned against his skull. He shook his head and moved towards the bushes to where he tried to calm himself so can come out of his shift. It was hard with his thoughts but taking some deep breath he managed to shift. Breaking his ligaments, standing to when he could he clicked his neck in discomfort before stretching his limbs as they popped back onto place. With his hand, he ran it through his jet black hair that was gelled back. Brushing down his leather jacket with his hands, right now he could use a cigarette but they were in his duffle bag that Casper had taken.

Making his way back to the cabin to find his bag. He walked inside without a word searching for his bag unsure where it may be located within these walls. Finding his bag along with Casper's he unzipped his bag and located his box of smokes along with his lighter. He had thoughts that the soldiers may take them off him if he didnt hide them in his bag. Although they had searched through his duffle bag he kept his smokes in the lining of the bag so they couldn't find them when they searched. Placing the box in the inside pocket of his leather jacket as he walked out of the cabin once again. Taking to the steps he sat on the first one before taking the cigarette to his lips he cupped the end with his hand taking his other hand with in the lighter in dragging his thumb across the spark wheel hitting the stone causing it to ignite once it had burnt the end he flicked the light off put the lighter with his box. Inhaling the tobacco into his lungs releasing it through the corner of his mouth before taking the cigarette with his thumb and index finger from his lips. As he sat there taking in the scenery another drag from his cig that he took back to his lips. His mind slowly steadied taking his free hand into his hair again moving it back in place.

Unsure whether or not Casper will say anything to Harlow about his outburst although Loki wasn't in a position to care whether he did or not he was ready for this wrath if he was going to 'tell him off' for not following his order. Although Loki did not care what Harlow had to say about what he did to one of the soldiers.
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[`silver]

𝐀𝐌𝐘𝐀𝐒 𝐊𝐀𝐍𝐄
tags; harlow location; forest > cabin area mentions; dakota word count; 1,699

The world is blurring again.

Not even a day had passed since she’d been given the choice between simply allowing the soldiers that had torn their pack apart to remove her from this world. A choice she would’ve truly considered had she not thought about those whom were left. As easily as she’d disarmed the threat, she just as easily could’ve allowed the murmurs of eternal solace to convince her to do what she could not do herself. The world always seemed to blur when the decision she was about to make affected her life, taunting the void in her heart to give in to the ravenous, feral desire of her wolf simply because what else was there to do? She was no longer human. Maybe she had never been human all along and becoming a werewolf had just been a catalyst to uproar her disdain for humanity itself.

That was, of course, until she’d met Harlow. The first tether. He’d taught her what it was like to be freed of shackles she didn’t know she’d held the key to all along.

Her eyes were darkened, indecipherable pools wrought with distrust, light only flickering in their depths due to the disquiet in her mind. Despite this, her recognition had cut through the doubt, the cold light shifting to something more familiar and bright as she cemented the fact that he really was here standing before her. Something along the lines of relief seemed to pass through Harlow when Amyas felt herself give into the familiarity of their reunion. He'd definitely caught on to her--perceptive as always--although this time he wasn't the only one with enhanced senses.

Thud. For a second, she thought she could hear waves crashing when she placed her hand into his, whipping their salty fragrance between their scents and combining them with the essence of the sea as their bodies spun in a slow, languid motion. Thud. How long had it been? How much time had passed again?

Angel.

Amyas couldn’t help but scoff in amusement, not allowing laughter to burst from her chest for fear that she might let all the warmth escape in a single bout. The only person to ever utter such a quip to her and walk away unscathed. "I had my doubts, but yet again you've come through." She chuckled softly, welcoming the fluttering that ensued when he mentioned that he couldn't have forgotten about her. What would his reaction be if she spoke of how all she'd wanted these past few years was to be forgotten? Rather than clinging to the thought, she instead noted how her wolf stirred from it's slumber in time to sense Harlow's as it's presence shifted beneath his skin. It dared not intrude, watching from the depths of his twinkling gaze. Did it too, remember?

I wish they could stay. These feelings, I wish they were tangible. Maybe then they wouldn’t be so fleeting.

Never once did Harlow let go throughout the notions, nor did the smile that graced her lips ever lose it’s light. It gave her a halo of vibrancy; a rare sight that could only be perceived by those whom drew closest to the side of her she thought had been smothered over the years of searching for something to tether herself to—to bring her another purpose that wouldn’t slip from her grasp in neither body nor mind. You’re doing it again. Another laugh vied so desperately to leap into the chilled air. You’re stumbling over your words. Her fingers twitched when he mentioned they she wasn’t one of them back then, instinctively wanting to touch the tender patches of flesh that encircled the space between her neck and shoulder.

He was right. Their losing contact hadn’t been intentional. But sometimes even coordinated plans fell through. The scene of the bite turned over in her mind, pitching the time where everything both fell apart yet shifted into place as the true dispositions of those she trusted pushed her into the wide, yawning mouth that was her own inner doubts and the loss of her naivety. She couldn’t quite remember the pain of the bite more than she recalled the earth itself rushing up to meet her, rich loam thudding at the impact whilst kicked up leaves made their escape only to be trapped by the massive four-legged body that had stood over her. There had been a point where that wolf had turned into a man, stirring up memories of a confession that was offered to her with more jest than truth but nonetheless, had captured her attention.

A werewolf. Harlow had explained it to her almost in a way where she couldn’t have gauged how serious he was being. The words had flowed easily from his lips as if he’d spoken to many others about it, like it was nothing new to him, but Amyas had only pieced it all together by the time she lay bleeding out in the middle of the wilderness with not even so much as the pale light of the moon to offer her outlines of what could be hiding between the brush.

One could reason that she had lost more than she had gained all things considered, but it honestly felt as if she had more to thank for.

She could remember wondering what a wolf had been doing in that part of the woods. There had been no prey to be sought, civilization was only a few miles down a remote road and to make it even more questionable, she could faintly remember hearing paw steps circling around her fallen body, fur brushing her hands and face and at times surrounding her. If they’d been looking for an easy meal, they would’ve finished her off already.

But instead, once her eyes began to adjust to the darkness, the shape of a human had replaced that of the wolf. They’d lifted her head gently enough that she hadn’t even noticed their proximity to her and allowed it to rest in their lap. She could barely make out the face looming above her as her head had begun to swim from a mixture of blood loss and the alcohol numbing the wound, feeling her own body losing it’s flush of warmth but the desire to know who it was that was protecting her yet not carrying her home summoning enough sheer willpower for her to remain awake.

Their expression was chiseled with worry. Lines ran between their eyebrows, deepening whenever she stole ragged breaths. Their mouth had moved with words she couldn’t hear but she thought they might’ve been saying something along the lines of ‘I’m sorry’ or ‘it wasn’t supposed to’.

“Harlow.. Are you alright?”

Amyas had reached up to lightly touch his face after exhaling the words, earning another apology and warmth to clasp her cool hand. She hadn’t stayed conscious for much longer after then.

Blinking away the memories, she exhaled quietly at his question as if she'd been holding her breath all along and squeezed his hand a little to gather her thoughts. "Well, getting turned into a werewolf was definitely an unexpected treat." She gave him a knowing look, mirroring his grin blithely. "After we parted ways that night, my friends sort of snitched on me and I got into some major trouble with my parents."

Amyas gazed skyward for a while as she sifted through what would've been considered painful to most but to her, they were just a past. "I got hit by some wicked fever in between it all and my parents kinda told me to be out of the house by the end of the month. The emotions I had pent up came pouring out a few days later when I sorta got hit by the realization that neither my parents nor my friends really gave a damn about me. I ended up having my first shift right in front of my mom and dad."

Her eyes finally lowered after a while, using the pause between her words to take in a shakier breath than she thought she would. I'm shaking because it's cold, right? "I, uh, left right after. Just packed all my stuff up and left. I didn't find my current pack--Green Ridge--for a good while. I met a few werewolves on the way, even got into some fights which was kinda cool." She grinned at this though her expression faltered a bit, eyes trained on the unmarked path ahead of them now. Someone else had cut through here. Notes of cedar and something subtly sweeter clung to the earth here, prominent against the throat-tightening chill in the air and the distinctive scent of the firs guiding them forward.

"They made me Beta after a few months, but it was just to fill a spot no one wanted to take. Our Alpha was.. the closest you could get to human. Greedy, prideful, set in his ways." She shook her head but halted their pace forward, taking a moment to lock eyes with Harlow before taking his chin into her free hand with a stern expression. "I hope you don't blame yourself for anything that's happened to me. I didn't tell you so that you could feel bad, only because you deserve to know." She tilted her head a bit, her eyes softening as she searched his gaze, holding him captive a bit longer before adjusting his bucket hat and turning away. "Besides, being a werewolf has it's perks. If you hadn't bitten me, we wouldn't have met again unless I took another trip to a place I wasn't supposed to be at." Her heart pounded in her chest, challenging the feelings that were caged inside, threatening her with the shift not from how upset she was--but how much joy was spreading across her enough that she didn't quite know how to deal with it. I'm shaking because I'm excited. How embarrassing.

"It's good to see you again, grime and all." She beamed at him now, gesturing to the cabin that was beginning to mark the thinning of the trees into another clearing. "Maybe you could tell me how you've been after a good shower."

[guh-huh!]

ＦＥＲＤＩＮＡＮＤ　ＣＯＳＳＡＹ. / / ♠
━━━━━━━━━━━ ━━━ pack; green ridge x ` role; hunter medic x ` tagged; open tag baybeeee


xxxxferdinand cossay is seven years old, and he swears that when he grows up, he’s going to be the alpha of the green ridge pack, just like his dad. his bedroom walls are plastered with pages that he’s cut out of his father's workbooks —he’d gotten in so much trouble for doing that at the time, but his parents had figured that since the pages were already destroyed, there was no harm in letting him keep them up on his walls. some fights are never worth picking in a household where any member can turn into a bloodthirsty wolf over something as simple as someone else having eaten the last of the cornflakes. since then, though, his father had demanded a lock on his bedroom door and never really trusted ferdinand the same again.

xxxxhe’s happy, though. what little attention his father does give to him and his work is proportioned unevenly against him, but he doesn’t care, because when you’re eight years old you can run through the streets with your arms behind your back until you fall and scrape your knees, and then you can pretend that you are the alpha of a pack and alphas never cry. he’s never been very good at schoolwork, but he thinks that the only thing anyone really needs to know is what they want —and he knows exactly what that is, for him: ferdinand cossay wants to be alpha, and then everyone will have to love him.

xxxxthe book pages stay on his wall until he’s nine years old, when he comes home from school one day and his parents have taken over half of them down and moved his guitar, along with his messy stack of badly drawn anime pictures, onto his unmade bed.

xxxxnot the best way to tell a kid who’s prone to tantrums that he’s supposed to grow up, but then again, the cossayd have never had much emotional tact.

xxxxwhen his father beings him to the pack for the first time, ferdinand decides that he hates his responsibilities almost instantly. he can't throw a punch without hurting his knuckles, and the deer can hear him before he can see them. the only time he can manage to do something correct, is when he helps the pack's medic, theodore. he's an old, cranky man, who warms up to ferdinand after a couple of visits, showing him how to deal with broken bones and scrapes. while mr. cossay spends all day and most of the evening at work, and mrs. cossay drinks her sorrows at the local bars, ferdinand finds himself, at the ripe old age of eleven, learning how to change bandages and the ratio of aspirin to body weight.

xxxxand, while his alpha studies are suffering due to the weight of responsibility, he learns to love being a medic; it’s hard not to, when there’s finally someone in the world whose face lights up when he enters the room, when he can provide some sort of help to others, when he feels loved. for the first time ever, he isn’t vying for his parents’ love with their jobs or acting out and playing pranks in school to get the attention that he can’t get from his family. the medic treats him more like a son than his own father ever did, and soon his room is full of plant cuttings, poultices, and hand-written medicine notes by theodore himself.

xxxxso, when he comes home from school one day to the news that the paramedics tried everything they could, but they just didn’t get there in time, they weren’t called fast enough, ferdinand cossay loses all faith in the world, and learns what it truly means to give up. something inside him, that feels a lot like hope or desperation, withers and never recovers.

xxxxhe doesn’t protest when his father gives the role of alpha to somebody else. he doesn’t protest even when he knows that he would make a better healer than a hunter, but his father refuses to let him have purpose. he doesn’t protest as his father goes mad, and looks for help in everyone except his good-for-nothing son.

xxxxfor the first time in his life, ferdinand cossay simply accepts the truth: that it was always going to be this way. he was never going to be the alpha his dad wanted.

xxxxhe just didn’t expect to be the son his dad never wanted, either.

....

xxxthe cold and the quiet are in tandem when ferdinand wakes. of course, there’s sunlight, but it isn’t warm - it merely seeps across the van, choosing only to illuminate the dust in the air, hanging in some liminal balance between what is real and what is simply potential energy, another cog in a rollercoaster chain that either has peaked, will peak, or will keep crawling upward until the sickness in everybody’s stomach becomes simultaneously paramount and ordinary. still, the facts are laid out bare on the van where he's held, and he knows for sure that he is awake. from this, he can discern that he is alive, and that he is real, and so his mind turns next to the wellbeing of the pack, who is - another fact - not really accepting their new reality.

xxxxferdinand picks at the loose skin around his nails as he watches the others interact with their new surroundings; it’s at least an hour into the woods, and he’s not stupid enough to make the guys with bullet-proof vests and guns mad. instead, he takes a cue from his seventh grade bus driver- 'sit down and shut up'. it's not hard to comply with that when there's a slew of toxins in your bloodstream keeping your legs weighed down to the seat. so sure, he’s not fighting back, that’s just how he is. if that's what gets him to survive, so be it.

and when the door cracks ajar, there’s only the openness of relief that floods the whole truck, and ferdinand with it, part of the fixings and the new spaces, all filled with the emotions of a home. a man stands there, and oh he’s pushing ferdinand outside. coldhearted and undeniably aggravated from the frown on his face; ferdinand can’t even tease him about it because there’s no fair challenge when the man looks so pathetic. instead, he just throws a certain finger into the air as he shakes the man's touch off of him. "not today, bootlicker."

xxxxhe looks over the two- literally only two- pack members that remain alive. ferdinand listens to them talk momentarily, getting over the basics of "i'm glad you're alive", "looks like we're roped into this together", and the all-time favorite, "guess we're without our alpha."

xxxxit doesn't take long for some random wolf to swoop in and steal amyas away, and ferdinand's seen enough rom-coms to know how this goes. he rolls his amber eyes before running a free hand through his hair, fighting the urge to fake gag at the sight. he'll talk to amyas later, he supposes. turning instead to genim, ferdinand finds that even a near-death experience can't shake genim's casanova persona, as he's already rushing after the first woman he sets his eyes on.

xxxxso, looks like it's just him.

xxxxhe ruffles through the small, duffle bag of items he has, and finds his old botany book from when he was younger. his favorite plant pages are crinkled with dog-ear folds, and the cover is stained with what ferdinand can only assume is mountain dew. might as well explore the local flora while he's here; he'll find the rest of the group later. if he sleeps on the floor, he can live with that. what he does want to do, however, is return to an old hobby of his. one that his now-deceased father can't stop him from doing.

xxxxferdinand sighs into his hands, contemplating whether he has enough energy to even walk through the woods, until he finds a small, sunshine plant poking out through the weeds. it's a daffodil; and if he remembers correctly, they symbolize rebirth of some sort. and maybe, if ferdinand thought a little more about it, he would've seen the symbolism in that. instead, he cuts the plant off at the base, and splits the various stems into a half-hearted attempt at a flower crown.

[འབྲོག་ཁྱི]

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form link--

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─────── 𝐃𝐀𝐊𝐎𝐓𝐀 ─── 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐌𝐒 ───────────────────────⯮
──────────────────────────────────────────── 𝙀𝙇𝙆 𝙎𝙋𝙍𝙄𝙉𝙂𝙎 ──────⯮

LOCATION; Olympic partition, valley cabin ─ TAGGING; Casper ─ MENTIONED; Elk Springs pack ─ WC; 1,333

Dakota had become so absorbed in attempting to crane her neck in such a way that she would be able to make out whether the shape cresting one of the hemlock-covered hills on the other side of the river might have been an old fire lookout or simply the fog-veiled sun drawing shapes in the ragged stone that she neither heard Casper entering the cabin nor wandering through the rooms in search of her ─ that is, until he had stepped into the room and sighed his relief at having found her. Dakota turned with a start, nearly jumping out of her skin at the sudden appearance of a presence she had ceased expecting in spite of the eerie feeling she had experienced all throughout her walk to the cabin and then within its silent rooms. The sole thing that saved her from an embarrassing squeak was that she was more the type to silently leap a few feet into the air when startled.
indentindentindentIt was an opaque blend of release from the worry that she had been sent here alone and wanting to confirm that Casper was indeed a corporeal man rather than some tired apparition that drove her to land a steadying hand on his arm and gently grip it through her hoodie's sleeve as if it were the banister of a staircase preventing her from tripping her way over the side and into some terrible, awaiting fate. She fumbled over her own thoughts for a moment, then found a footing in the grounding reality that this was Casper, in all of his familiar and oddly comforting Casperness, and not some ghoulish stranger that had come to accuse her of an unforgivable sin. Dakota breathed out a relieved beat of wan laughter before letting her arm drop a little so that she could tug on his sleeve and guide him toward the window to see what had distracted her.
indentindentindent"I'm sorry ─ and I'm fine, I think ─ look," she reluctantly let go the loose yet reassuring hold her fingers had kept on the edge of his sleeve in favour of pointing out the valley. The corner of her lips tugged up into a verging smile that carried an underlying wryness, even if her eyes returned to the view easily and without question ─ almost adoringly, as a child might watch Christmas lights with gleaming eyes. "The whole time I was in that truck, I think I was expecting to end up someplace dark and dank, but it's sunny and dank, and kind of beautiful." With her mind having strayed back to the journey and what that meant, realization seemed to finally fully dawn on Dakota, and she turned back toward Casper with a look that was somehow reminiscent of having forgotten the stove on ─ something so habitual, yet she had overlooked it.
indentindentindentDakota clasped her arms around Casper's middle and mumbled a confessional I'msogladyou'rehere into his lapels, then let go before he would have to begin detaching her as if he were disentangling a cat with its claws caught in a blanket. She stepped a comfortable distance away and twisted her hands back inside her hoodie sleeves, and as Casper confirmed that he hadn't arrived alone, either, Dakota nodded ─ even if the mention of Loki in particular had her teeth anxiously worrying at the inside of her cheek. Although she had managed to sleep through most of the fretting she would have otherwise done, she had begun fearing the possibility that she would be alone wherever she was heading the moment she had been sat down on the metal bench that had served as the seats at the back of the truck. To be proven otherwise was bittersweet, in that she would not be alone as she had feared, but that it also meant the others had not escaped her fate.

indentindentindentIn some ways, loss had asserted itself as a fixture in Dakota's life, and maybe she had come to anticipate it as a partaker in every major change. The change of home on its own would not have been much of an issue to her, necessarily. There was a possibility that she had not even really experienced a sense of home or belonging before she had come to the Elk Springs pack, because she had spent the vast majority of her life inside a sterile hospital environment rather than surrounded by family, and that meant that wherever the pack happened to be was as good as home to her. Or at least it would be, eventually. So place, here or there, that did not truly matter to her. What would have mattered was losing her chosen family, Harlow in particular. He might have been their alpha, but Dakota had come to see him more as a brother ─ everything from a confidante to a protector. Not that she needed protection, thank you very much (she did need protection, and a lot of it ─ every werewolf she came across seemed capable of snapping her in half as if she were a twig, while her best defenses were defusing tension with uncomfortable chuckling or, well, undignified running).
indentindentindentHowever, in a turn of events that many of her peers might have found paradoxical in nature, becoming a werewolf had made her life far more stable and less complicated than it had been ─ at least until the relocation, but maybe even beyond it, and not only because it had erased a lifetime of illness. Her life had become rather difficult before she had even been old enough to be capable of remembering it, when her diagnosis of a life-long illness had sent her biological father packing his bags and rushing out of their lives the first chance he had gotten. Dakota not remembering him meant that she could not miss him, exactly, but his absence was like a cut-out shape filled with questions of what it might have been to grow up with a father ─ him, specifically. They had usually avoided the topic with her mother, and while she had never sensed that she might have blamed Dakota for him leaving ─ 'if he couldn't handle it, he wasn't half the man I thought I'd married' ─ things had remained complicated between them, because what force in the world could have kept a moody teenager from wondering whether she had been the reason for her family having fallen apart.
indentindentindentThen there was the matter of her little sister, who Dakota had usually been too sick to be a proper older sister to. Reese was over three years younger than her and yet so much braver ─ steadier and decisive, like an adult. She had wondered sometimes whether Reese had had to be, because their mother had been too busy keeping their household afloat with her job and spending nights sleeping in uncomfortable hospital chairs. The question that lingered now was whether she would get to see any of them again, but she had disappeared before and come back healthier, even strong, so she knew they would not worry in her absence. And friends ─ well, they were not something Dakota had to concern herself with, considering she had not had many before the pack, because her stays at the hospital had always meant making friends at a distance and losing them to the same things she feared.

indentindentindentDakota nudged the duffel bag on the floor with the side of her foot, as if she had forgotten its existence until then, and a slight frown came to knit her brows.
indentindent"Do you think we should go? Or are they coming here? I don't really know where I'm meant to put my things," she rambled in a slow barrage of thoughts, her nerves suddenly working overtime to have all the questions and possibilities bubbling to the surface. Then she suddenly paled, turning a pair of concerned eyes to Casper. "Wait, do you think there are others? Like, not Elk Springs?"

[carpe noctem.]

♛ ─── ❝ ( 𝐒𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐍　 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊 !! ) ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
( allegiances : elk springs )　　( gender : cismale [he/him] )　　( location : cabin. )　　( mentioned : n/a )　　( tagged : casper & dakota )　　


xxxxxxxxShackled like a wild animal and muzzled like a dog, Soren blinked back the blend of sedatives that coursed through his bloodstream, seeping foggy poison into his brain and whispering cloudy thoughts seducing him to sleep. The visceral power of sleep briefly numbed the memories of recent history, while physical affliction bore the reminders of the past like a hot stake against the skin. A searing pain settled above his hip to the side of his torso, the result of an unsung wound from mere hours prior.
xxxxxxxxHe recalled the sudden chaos of the situation as he was shoved from his motorcycle by men dressed in black, all sporting identical helmets and tactical gear. They yelled their announcement that deduced him as being a werewolf, and yet Soren could only scoff despite the gravity ─ he was the wolf, and yet here stood men who barked like dogs, foaming at the mouth like rabid animals. One of them ordered him to "listen to them or face the consequences", with a hand at the hip of his belt gripping some type of weapon. Naturally, Soren chose the path of most resistance, which led to a soldier piercing his abdomen with some type of utility knife before kicking him into an unmarked black humvee. Soren's memory began to thin around that time, which he plainly concluded was the result of some type of tranquillizer entering his veins.
xxxxxxxxThe lull of the moving vehicle that transported him began to reduce its speed, and his dark eyes slid from his feet to study the people sitting across from him. Soren noted the glint of metal that glared beneath the tinted window light and the acrid aroma of gunpowder. The same men who had so savagely informed him of his dangerous nature carried the products of the human psyche so carelessly, bleeding fury into metal and hate into bullets. It was ironic, moreso poetic. As the truck shuddered to a stop, one of them approached, meticulously removing his restraints before waving him forwards to the opened door with his rifle. The other soldier stood directly outside the truck, feet planted firmly into an unfamiliar land.
xxxxxxxxSoren lifted his chin, animalistic eyes staring down at the barrel of a loaded rifle pointed to his head, and then beyond, to the wavering hand that held the weapon. The scent of sweat was pungent, his lips curling briefly with disgust as he stared unblinkingly to the soldier who bared his munitions like a shield. The hush of heavy breath held back by anticipation surrounded him as he began to descend from the metal vehicle that carried him, ducking to accommodate the low car ceiling that brushed against his back as he got out, black boots touching dirt for the first time in what felt like a lifetime. There rang the nearly inaudible sound of a rifle cocking from behind him in the truck, and from a narrow view, he could just barely see a set of soldiers pointing their guns at his back, the cold metal then striking his back firmly as they made an attempt to shove him forwards. Soren twisted his body to face them, dark eyes piercing the pair's paling skin, barely making a step forwards before a volley of yelling broke out from the soldiers that surrounded him, a shuffle of raised guns pointed at his body. The pair seemed to shrink under his threatening stare, beads of sweat dripping from one of their foreheads before demanding him to move away in a tone that feigned confidence, but trembled slightly under Soren's narrowed eyes.
xxxxxxxxAnother older serviceman shoved the heel of his rifle into Soren's torso, a blow that earned a low, guttural groan to escape his breath as the force reopened the laceration that had only managing to cease bleeding a few short hours ago. As he blinked away the darkened spots that echoed his vision, the group of soldiers hastily began to load themselves into their truck, seemingly desperate to remove themselves from the growing population of lycans that were being offloaded into the unknown land. His gaze followed the moving vehicle as it drifted from view, disappearing behind the thick brush of the forest.
xxxxxxxxNow left with the sight of muddied tire tracks, Soren padded the tender wound lightly, wincing as crimson blood soaked his palm before tucking in his shirt and grabbing the leather handle of a tanned duffel bag that contained what was left of his former life, brushing off the searing pain with a sharp inhale. He chuckled darkly. How pleasant, to know his life could be reduced to a few items in some stupid bag. In a way, it was comforting to know his presence would not be missed, for he was a man of little conviction when it came to the subject of friends or family. The idea of packing away his life was not something foreign, though, in fact, the nature of getting up and leaving without warning rang familiar to both his childhood bouncing through foster homes and adulthood, leeching onto people or packs before getting up and leaving without a second thought. The notion of losing someone was lost on Soren, and while others mourned for the loss of those beloved, he stood unbothered.
xxxxxxxxThis was just another mess he'd find a way to escape, or another bloodied wound he'd feel to neglect.
xxxxxxxxCrisp woodland air breathed new life into Soren's lungs, the smell of loamy earth and pine inviting an unwelcome lupine instinct in his gut, which was more frustrating than getting stabbed. His internalized resentment for his lycanthropy was quickly pushed back down as he picked up his gait and began to explore, pushing past the somewhat open area he had been discarded at. Vigilant eyes quickly picked up the sights of a rustic cabin, previously sheltered from his view by cedars and pine trees that framed the sky with thick overstretching branches and leaves. He hitched his duffel bag over his shoulder, ignoring the hot sensation that grazed the open skin on his torso. Soren didn't believe in people, let alone a god, but he prayed there was running water.
xxxxxxxxAs he approached the front of the house, a somewhat distant roar bellowed from within the deep brush, undoubtedly that of another werewolf. Soren had barely even thought of the idea that there could be others, though, as he reflected on it, it rang sensible in his mind. If those bootlicking bastards found him, an individual who rarely ever shifted, and seemed to abandon that side of himself altogether, the other furry idiots would be promised to have been located. There was a fleeting moment in which he speculated upon the rest of the Elk Springs pack, but it was transient. Soren pushed the door open, immediately throwing his bag to the side and scouting the nearest tap that he could wash his hands off with. There was a low murmur of conversation from another room, faint yet indiscernible to an inhuman ear. He approached with sensible caution, though his bloodied palms curled into fists as he drew closer, passing through a set of musty rooms. His muscled tensed with anticipation, preemptively readying his body for a fight. It was an instinctual reaction at this point, hardened by many years of street fighting and heated arguments with people he'd never meet again.
xxxxxxxxThe muffled voices chimed a clearer tune that rang a familiar melody to his brain. He recognized the tone of two he had grown to become accustomed to, Casper and Dakota, two members of the Elk Springs pack. Soren paused at the entrance of the room the pair conversed within, scanning the room briefly for anyone else, as though there was a hidden desire to seek out the company of a pack he had secretly sworn he was only a part of for brief convenience. He shook it off with a low cough that acted as a greeting, pressing his left shoulder against the wooden door frame and ducking his head slightly beneath the low fixture. "So, this is it? Christ, this sucks." He mumbled, offering the once-dormant room a disparaging stare.

[ 1364 words ]

[I'm done delete me.]

𝔸𝕃𝔼𝕏𝕀𝔸 ℝ𝕀𝕍𝔼ℝ𝔸 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[ 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬: 𝟏,𝟎𝟒𝟏 ]

xxx [ 𝟐𝟒 ] [ 𝐅𝐄𝐌𝐀𝐋𝐄 ] [ 𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐑 ] [ 𝐇𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐎 ] [ 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐬: conner | 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: - ]
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Across the bumpy terrain, it felt as if it was never going to end. It happened so quick one minute she had walked into this new town to explore its features but then she was targeted by some men in uniform. She didn't understand what was happening unsure what she had done to deserve this. She had stepped foot into the town and was pinned to the ground, injected with some sort of liquid that sent her to sleep unwillingly. The next thing she knew she was trapped in the back of a van. There were no windows for her to look out of and without the time she was uncertain how long she was out for. Her leg nervously jittering up and down anxious to know what was happening to her. There were faint scents of werewolves like herself in the back of this van, where they were now was the real question. Was she heading to her death?

The vehicle stopped all of a sudden breaks squealing to a halt, the darkness around her Alex remained silent as she sat there with her rucksack between her feet. There she knew she had reached her destination, whatever was outside those doors she had to face alone. Hearing the doors open and shut to the front of the van she listened to the humans as they came round to the back, there were several people she could hear. With one against at least five people she could make out to hear, different footsteps she could understand and with her escape it would be slim. Alex had recalled before she became unconscious that they had weapons. She could heal from most wounds but from a bullet to which she wasn't going to take chance if it would be silver she knew she wouldn't come back from with ease. The doors swung open and the light shone in, at the sight of the sun drawing in made her eyes squint as they adjusted to the light that beamed into the darkness of the van that she had spent several hours contained in. She shuffled towards the doors taking her rucksack to her shoulders, the men pulled her out by her arms quite roughly to where she lost her footing and fell onto the grass filled floor. "What the hell?" She turned back around facing the men from where she laid propping herself up on her elbows only to see three of them pointing the barrels of their weapons towards her. "Okay...? Can I at least know why you are releasing me here...? Well, at least I think you are leaving me here..." She questioned the people in uniforms. Alex couldn't quite gather where she was. Her eyes didn't leave the men, she hadn't had a proper look to where she was located however the new smells hit her nose she was sure this place wasn't inhabited by humankind but there were faint scents of werewolves that seemed to linger in the air. "You've been relocated to live here by the government" one human spoke up but they dispersed as they left to get back into their truck. "Wait what?" They left her confused as she pushed herself up onto her feet listening to the doors closing shut. "Why me?" She yelled after but again she was ignored leaving her to where she was tossed out. "Great..." She mumbled under her breath, wiping down her red fennel shirt along with her black ripped jeans. The redhead then looked around her surroundings trying to gather where she might be. Taking a moment she grabbed her bag off her shoulders and unzipped it from the top she rummaged around in her bag of clothes, first aid kit, toiletries in an attempt to find her phone. She could tell her bag had been tampered with seeing not everything was where it was meant to be along with her toiletry bag left open inside. The redhead huffed annoyed that one of these soldiers had gone through her belongs and from what she saw her phone had been taken from her backpack. "As if they had taken my phone..." She muttered to herself annoyed that the one object that she needed right now was gone.

Zipping up her bag she placed it on her shoulders again and looked around trying to make another attempt to figure out where she was, she had travelled a far distance alone for many years but she hadn't come across this place before. Alex wondered deeper into this new place, following the smells of the other wolves that she managed to gasp the scent of. She could smell various wolves one she caught to be close enough to where she was located. The smell of earth and cigarettes lingered in the air. Remaining cautious as she drew closer to the werewolf she could also tell this was a male that was close by. Carefully on the uneven ground beneath her, she knew she was close to another wolf as the scent grew stronger. Her tacking had improved over the years along with the help of another wolf she had met on her journey.

Unsure whether this wolf would be unpredictable, she wasn't one to communicate with others of her kind due to her one experience with the one that had bitten her to turn her. Alex hid behind a tree as she peeked behind seeing the male that she had caught the scent of. Wondering whether he could tell her why they were here. Hiding her figure back behind the tree she took a deep breath before slowly coming round from her hiding place, with one hand remained on the bark of the tree to keep herself balanced on the unstable surface. "Hi..." She started unsure whether to just dive into why they were here or even to introduce herself. She wasn't sticking around to know him she just wanted answers. "Do you know why we are here? Or where we might be?" She asked the male with a raised brow. Alex kept her distance from him if he were to step closer she would step back. With this distance she stood she could easily get away from him if he did try anything.

[mtuan,]

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𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐆-𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐎𝐋 mtuan, kim
mtuan,'𝙎𝘼𝙒𝙔𝙀𝙍'

(tagged) nerissa (misc.) the way i had to backtrack
smh, 1,064 words

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The garbled sound Sawyer makes is nothing short of indignant at the sound of Nerissa's harsh words, though it wasn't something he hadn't been accustom to already-- perhaps has become far too accustom to, in fact. The pretty boy finds himself shrugging his shoulders as a result, sagging a little against the tough, yet cooling material of the truck.

Though he considered himself a relatively sensitive, slightly (-okay, perhaps more than that, not that Sawyer openly admitted to such) high strung and just overall, a generally more delicate personality floating around in this world, the attitude he often received from his counterpart was nothing he couldn't handle. As aforementioned- he had grown accustom to her ways, knowing that she meant well for the two of them more than anything else. With the young woman currently by his side (whether it had been her choice or not- it wasn't, let's be honest), Sawyer found himself growing more and more proficient with the whole 'reading between the lines' and 'not everything is always spoken at face value' tit-for-tat that often seemed to find itself nestled between the two young adults. The young werewolf, of course, wouldn't have chosen to have it in any other way-- they were comfortable, Nerissa was a comforting sort of... mean. And maybe it wouldn't make much sense to anyone beyond their little group (-it didn't), Sawyer found solace in the other woman's... cold, beautiful, most likely black coffee-induced presence. In a slightly humorous kind of way.

Despite the light joking within his head, Sawyer knows Nerissa was the only one who could potentially get away with such things unscathed; it was knowing that they understood one another to the extent of speaking comfortably without offense that often gave Sawyer the grounds he needed to thrive. That, of course, coupled with the idea that anyone else who carried themselves in the same attitude as his alpha, yet lacked the connection, would surely find themselves with an upset Sawyer in their arms. Likely sniffling in injured feelings, eyes glassy and wide. The young man knew his worth. And anyone who failed to realize or took their jabs baselessly never received the results or reactions they were likely seeking. Likely. Anyway.

Still, the silence that befalls the pair is like a safe bubble through the stress and beyond the hyper-aware picking of his clothing of dust and lint and the nonexistent germs that clung in the air. A nap would have been nice right around now, in the dimness of the humvee, the (not-so) gentle rocking of what was guessed to be unpaved roads beneath the wheels. Instead, Sawyer peers over curiously at Nerissa, eyes straining in the dark to make out the latter's features, dainty- like his own. The sharp scent of coffee, pure and simple, wafts past his nose next, his wolfish senses capable of picking up far fainter trails than the average human would ever be able to. The young man couldn't help but giggle slightly, despite the situation, "Let me guess, you were grabbing your coffee? I can smell it in your breathe." Sawyer reaches for his flower with delicate fingers and brings it up between the pair, the poor flower somewhat beaten and bruised- not as fresh as the moment he'd walked into the floral shop. "I was looking at flowers." As if it weren't obvious enough- maybe it was his attempt at small talk.

Within minutes of the stop of the truck, the werewolf was on the ground with the men laughing and Nerissa standing between the two. Sawyer finds himself without time to stop the other woman, though he's quick to realize that there's no reason to when the men scramble soon after, never looking back to make sure the pair were okay, never quite caring for anyone's safety but their own. Typical though.

Standing wasn't terrible, Sawyer found himself back on his feet in no time and brushed off, clapping his hands as if to rid himself of the dirt that is no doubt nestled within the crevices of his skin- ugh, disgusting. Though he finds himself scanning his partner, eying the wrist that had been grabbed in the moment with concern, "Are you alright? They didn't hurt you, did they?"

Picking up his bag of belongings, Sawyer knows it's not exactly the best time to lighten the mood and yet- the dreary feeling creeping up his spine really wasn't helping himself or the situation at hand. Somehow, Sawyer finds the energy, "Feels like a horror movie out here, what if there's a monster in the woods- and plot twist, it's not us... werewolves." The slight grin on the boy's face is palpable, despite the hostile aura emanating from Nerissa, who, very much looked as if she was ready to murder at the moment.

It comes to no surprise to Sawyer when the other woman's words slice with near malice, colder than ice; and again, if it were anyone else- perhaps Sawyer would have hung behind afterwards. Chosen to avoid trouble before it really came to bite him in the ass, purely as a defensive measure for his soft, weak feelings. Yet, Nerissa doesn't scare Sawyer- as much as she would have liked, maybe.

He's quick to sling an arm around the young woman's shoulder, his bag of items in his other, "Okay, okay, I'm coming- I'm sure we'll figure something out. But you know, maybe a lighter attitude would do you some good-" he pauses to gently poke Nerissa's cheek before retracting his finger lightning fast- knowing the other would absolutely not be above potentially biting his finger off for that one, "-I am all you've got at the moment, anyway." Though the boy keeps his tone light, there's an under-lacing of worry.

"And stop making fun of me, the poppy flower was very pretty when I picked it out, thank you very much! I definitely would have liked to keep it with me at least until it wilted, but. It is what it is, I suppose."

Still, above all the exchanged words and the banter Sawyer at least attempted to provide, the nagging undertones of worry never leave his chest, keeping the young man on his toes in concern for their future.

What if there really were monsters in the forest? And not the storybook ones-- other werewolves ready to fight at all costs?

[mtuan,]

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𝐋𝐈𝐌 𝐇𝐀𝐍-𝐁𝐈𝐍mtuan, mtuan, kim
mtuan '𝙃𝘼𝙍𝙇𝙊𝙒'

(tagged) amyas, elk springs (misc.) 1,217 words
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The scoff in amusement is all Harlow needs for the grin sitting upon his face to become impossibly wider- amusement reflected in his own features with mirth, even when the young man shakes his head vaguely and simply shrugs his shoulders "Funny that you say that, as if I've ever done anything so wrong before, babe." He laughs. Still, the young man finds himself attempting to keep the mood light, a little unsure from both parties, perhaps, but nothing too overwhelming. There's a pause in thought process through Amyas' eyes and Harlow dully notes the way she suddenly seems rather distant- as if her mind was a whirlpool of memories and thoughtfulness; and Harlow himself realizes just how much time has passed between the two.

Though in comparison to the universe, perhaps their time apart was nothing. However, the circumstances that brought Amyas back into his presence surely would have impacted the girl nonetheless? The alpha himself could still recall the gloomy day of the incident, how the poor young woman- then human, had lain helplessly in the soft dirt of the forest trail as the consequences of Harlow's actions overtook her. The pain and worry in her beautiful eyes as the young man cradled her body close to his and held her close for as long as he could. Harlow still recalls the way Amyas had graced his cheek, fingertips cold and quivering, and the way he'd held her hand in his own-- an attempt to comfort. And perhaps, while holding her so close, some twisted instinct of his wolf would have leaned down to kiss the young woman, to hold her dear and keep her safe the way his inner wolf would have desired to, if only they'd swapped places. Harlow and himself.

Yet, the rational, less feral half of the alpha's being withheld himself the same way a gentleman would have refrained from something so... crude. And he stayed through what he could murmuring soft comforts, before the crunching sound of Amyas' friends began to draw near; subsequently forcing Harlow to rip himself away from the slowly unconscious girl in favor of avoiding the confrontation. It wouldn't do either of them any good- as much as it felt as if Harlow had abandoned Amyas at her weakest, to have been questioned between the two. Maybe these little humans would have found him guilty of assault- or something of that sort; knowing how stupid humans could be at times. And half of you is one of them. Harlow had reminded himself.

At the comment about Amyas' friends, Harlow couldn't help but let a chuckle bubble up without much thought, a soft "No way! If anything, I would have thought your friends would have covered your ass!" he joked. Though the humor dies gently in his throat- into a more serious aura when the young woman continues, Harlow himself nodding along solemnly to the tale of her woes.

The young man squeezes her hand gently in his, a frown etching itself into his features at the thought of her struggles- if only I could have been there to pick her up before anything bad happened. he pouts inwardly, though his face betrays nothing but concentration. "I know you said what you said, but I'm really sorry about that." Harlow whispers gently, his footsteps halting as a free hand comes to cup Amyas' face gently in his warm palm, "If only the circumstances had been different- I wouldn't have left you to tackle the transformation on your own." The alpha pauses when realization dawns on the young man as well- only further proving that Harlow himself still had much to learn and experience of the world. He would never experience the agony and anguish of a bitten transformation, as a born werewolf himself. Sure, he'd experienced the conversion through secondhand experiences at the expense of fellow pack mate, poor Casper, once already; but there's a certain sort of awareness that Harlow would never truly know. "I'm just happy to have met you once again, that fate was forgiving enough for our paths to cross once more." Harlow finalizes, before pulling away from Amyas ever so slightly and continuing down the unpaved path.

As if trying to lighten the mood a little bit and deviate from the moment- Harlow quirks his lips slyly in mischief, "Not that I would have given up looking for you though, I'm sure someday I would have traveled the world to be with you again." he chuckles lightly. His eyes crinkle in amusement, despite the reminder that he was disgustingly dirty at the moment, "You already know, but likewise- though I'm sure I look like a train wreck compared to you at the moment."

A cabin comes into view as the pair steps into the clearing and almost immediately, a slight whiff of the air has Harlow perking up taller than he'd been all day. He senses his packmates before he sees them, but the thought of one particular presence has the alpha in him giving little (internal) 'awoo' of joy. Dakota- and Casper. "Could you excuse me for one second? I believe we just stumbled across someone I've been worrying about all day."

And with that, Harlow practically bounds towards the dark cabin, inhibitions lost on the excitement of reuniting with his pack mates- well, maybe not Casper (--joking), but still. "Dakota!" Suddenly a weary wolf turns into an excited pup at the thought of his family and Harlow very nearly barrels into the pair, half tripping on Dakota's poor duffel bag in the process, as he wraps one arm around each of his pack mate's shoulders.

"Wow, maybe I should order you around a little more often, huh?" Harlow jokes in poor Casper's direction (he's sure the poor man's just exhausted of his antics, yet- elk springs always tolerated their over-active leader).

Where did the sudden energy burst forth from? The young man wasn't too sure himself. But he takes advantage of the adrenaline suddenly pumping through his blood to whip his head in Dakota's direction next, "You- are you alright? I've been worried sick since the humans rounded all of us up but you- are you hurt anywhere?" Harlow pulls his arms back into himself before gentle fingers clutch Dakota's shoulder, soft, yet hasty, as he did a quick scan of her frame up and down. "Thank god you're alive and breathing at least, I wasn't sure if I'd have to fight someone or not next, if you weren't." Harlow's eyes are light, "Maybe sacrifice Loki to the sun or somethin'." he laughs.

There's another short stop when a gruff voices carries itself by the doorway. On instinct, Harlow grins all too widely, "Sucks, but at least you're here to make it better, right?" he quips with a laugh. Soren Park. Daresay father 02 (Harlow wants to chuckle inwardly at that). Despite the sourness that seeped from the other man, just the thought of his family making it out safely (at the very least... minus the relocation) makes Harlow's heart soar.

Knowing his packmates were safe (...maybe minus Loki... if he had caused any trouble in the short span between the ride and now), the sun's rays suddenly feel warmer, the forest brighter.

Or maybe. That was simply Harlow's imagination.