ooc: Set between their last thread and the fight he had with Mercy Gethin had a collection of rabbits hanging from his muzzle as he began to make his way back toward the den that he and Isolde had been sharing as of late. He didn't feel the need to keep his side glued to hers so much any more, but the possessive feelings he had over her hadn't dulled in the slightest. He kept the both of them fed pretty well, though as the winter wore on he noticed that he was having to travel a little further every time to find food. Sometimes he took Isolde with him since she had turned out to be a fair hunter in her own right, but today he went out alone. He was reminded of their first night together when he had come back the following morning with the same sort of meal. He chuckled a little at himself. If he didn't know any better he'd think that he was being domesticated by Isolde. He saw her near their den and of course made his way over to her, setting the kill on the ground a few feet away before coming over to nuzzle against her cheek, his muzzle tipping up in the same movement to nibble at her ear. He had never been a man of many words, but she had heard more of them from him than perhaps anyone else. "How are you feeling, my queen?" "Talk" "You" Think

Isolde wouldn't lounge in the den today like she normally did, she felt sick and terrible all rolled into one. She was mostly glad that Gethin had not asked her to come with him on this particular hunting adventure, she would have had to turn him down anyway. Since he'd been gone the spotted she wolf had been up and down more times than she wished to count. She kept losing the contents of her stomach, or what little was left within. Even when Gethin returned she thought it would be less than intelligent to dig right into the meal. Likely it would just come right back up. She would lay outside the den now, away from her earlier messes. She felt hot from the work of dry heaving and the cool of the snow was kind. She felt tired, and more than worried. She'd felt like this once before. All too soon Gethin would reappear, his larger form making his way easily to where she lay. She'd lean into his affections, grateful for his presence while she felt so terrible. "Not so good right now." Did he smell the vomit of her pelt? She'd lean into him more heavily, "I've only felt like this once before..." She'd trail off, more than nervous to tell him what it was going on with her. Speech

He'd quickly notice the sickness on her scent and he'd quickly move to lay next to her in the snow so that he could press his side to her and curl around her smaller form, worry washing over him. She spoke, confirming that she didn't feel well. He'd run his tongue over her forehead and ears in slow, rhythmic motions, hoping that it might soothe her some. He had no idea what might be making her feel this way. He hated sicknesses partly because of his nearly nonexistent healing knowledge and the fact that it wasn't a tangible enemy that he could protect her from or fight. He liked threats that he could sink his teeth into and rip to shreds, not ones that were some vague thing in the universe that caused his queen to feel sick. He grew curious when she mentioned that she had only felt like this once before. He continued his careful and caring licks over her head and continued them down over her scruff as well while he quietly pondered what could have caused this illness that she would have experienced before. Was it something she had eaten? Did something he hunted do this to her? He would feel awful if that was the case. Of course he had no way to know that she had been pregnant before so that wasn't even a thought that came to his mind. "What is it, Isolde?" he'd finally ask, not coming up with any real answers on his own and wanting to know what it was so that maybe he could find a solution for her, even if it meant dragging a healer here by their scruff. "Talk" "You" Think

He was swift to come and curl at her side, a comforting touch as she struggled with her body and the trials it would put her through. He was sweet, offering her gentle affections as she told him about her well being, and the possibilities of what they meant. She'd lean into his touch, pausing leaving the suspense lingering in the air as she hesitated. She'd whine softly as he prompted her, finally wanting to know why she felt the way she did. Isolde had to steel herself, she couldn't know what his reaction was especially after he'd told her his vow. No matter what he said she was sure taht she'd made him break it, she would have never asked for him if she'd known. Now she had to face the music and tell him what they'd done. He had to ask her, and she wouldn't with hold longer than that. "Gethin, I'm pregnant." Her voice was as uncertain as her gaze as she sought to find his. She didn't know what reaction she would get, and braced herself for anything. Speech

""Gethin, I'm pregnant." The moment those words left her lips he stopped mid lick and froze in place. The words kept ringing in his ears and all at once it felt like everything else in the world had fallen completely silent. A rush of fear and worry came over him, but the emotions wouldn't linger on him for long. As always, they were crushed and tossed aside by his furious anger. He wanted to be angry at her, to blame her for this. He didn't want to hate himself for causing this situation. But he did. He absolutely blamed himself and couldn't for a single moment be angry at the woman still pressed to his side. He quietly rose to his paws and quickly stepped away from her form before he did something he would regret later. His teeth grit together and his hackles were bristled, his breaths shallow and shaky with the furious panic that was threatening to grip him. He couldn't look at her. He couldn't face his own mistakes. His tail lashed behind him and without a word he stalked off into the trees, his ears completely deaf to anything around him. - leave and return - Fighting that pale woman had helped to clear his head. It was all the anger and violence that he had wanted to take out on Isolde, but now he didn't have the guilt of hurting her added to his conscience. He slowly made his way back toward the den he had been sharing with Isolde, silently wondering to himself if she would even still be there. Part of him prayed she hadn't left. Another part wished she would just see him for what he really was and just go. He limped, each step painful from the cracked toes the bitch had given him. His scruff was torn and bloody and he lost count of his bruises. He embraced the pain though. It kept his mind from thinking too hard about what he was going back to. He went toward the den, his ruby gaze fixed on the ground. He stopped a couple of feet from it and for a moment he couldn't make himself speak. He couldn't lift his gaze. He settled on just settling on his haunches. He figured if she wanted to see him she would come out and do so. If not then he would just go. "Talk" "You" Think

From the moment her words left her lips she knew she'd made a huge mistake. He'd freeze, his tongue still resting on her fur for a long moment as the truth sunk in. She'd feel her heart fall and promptly break into pieces as he stood up. She could feel the anger rolling off of him in waves but all she could utter was a surprised squeak as he rushed off with out another word. Fear would suddenly overwhelm her as uncertainty filled her small frame. With Gethin gone what would become of her and the unborn children that would grow within her womb? She'd feel hot tears start to stream down her face as she was overwhelmed with the loss of her protecter and provider. ---- She hadn't known what to do, and for a long time sat and cried about her situation. Eventually the spotted she wolf had crawled back into the den. Unsure if she'd even ever leave. Though hunger clawed at her belly she wouldn't move. Her form was curled in a ball, her tail laying listlessly behind her and her head placed tiredly on her paws. She didn't know what to do. Eventually there would be paw steps outside the den, and they'd stop right outside. She was curious, but wouldn't move until the scent of Gethin and blood roused her from her stupor. Lifting her head she almost couldn't believe that he'd made his return. The Adravendi would crawl to the entrance, her dull features slipping out into the daylight as her soft brown eyes found his frame. He was bloodied and bruised, and he looked much more broken than when he'd left her. Isolde couldn't think of anything to say, with her ears pinned to her skull a soft whine would leave her lips as she looked up at him. Speech

It felt like an eternity stretched by in the silence. He wouldn't move a muscle, his gaze still fixed on the ground in front of his paws as he sat pathetically outside of the den that the - dare he think it? - the mother of his children was currently laying in. He didn't deserve to be anyone's father or mate or even family member for that member. He had killed his own father and lost his only known brother. He was the last strain of his family line that he knew of and he was perfectly content with this poison dying out with him. If he had just kept himself in check, kept himself in control, not let himself get so damn close to one woman... Her whine cut through the silence and his churning thoughts and his ears would twitch at the sound. He'd pull his tired, broken gaze up from the ground and his ruby eyes immediately found her face. He could see the marks in the fur on her cheeks where she had cried and the salty tears had dried. That was what broke him. His gaze softened and he made himself rise to his paws. He slowly limped toward her till he was close enough to settle back on his haunches in front of her again. He lean his head down and start gently licking away the tear marks from her cheeks. "I'm sorry..." he rumbled quietly after the silence stretched on for a while longer. Once he was satisfied that the tears were gone he let himself find her warm brown eyes with his again. "I just... I just needed to breathe and take out my anger on someone else." He glanced down at himself, realizing he was still covered in a mix of his own blood and his opponent's. Mostly his own. "I won't leave you." His statement was simple and short but it was all he could manage. "Talk" "You" Think