Bass had promised her adventure, he had displayed worry for her and seemed to promise that he would always have time for the young pup. She would wake that morning determined to drag him into her mayhem, but as she searched Valhalla up and down she would find? she would find him missing. His den tasted stale telling her he had been gone for at least a few days. The girls pacing would take her to the edge of the border and her hunches would seat against the earth here, and her luminescent green orbs would look out at the expanse beyond. He hadn?t even said goodbye to her, he hadn?t told her where he was going, he just, he what? He decided to pack up and leave one day. The girl sat in dejected silence for a long time, emotions welled in her chest that where utterly foreign to her. She had felt frustration before, a silly emotion that had caused her to have little fits once or twice or pout her way to victory. This was something totally new, something that made her for the first time in her life utterly still. Her tail did not sway, her ears did not twitch, the little girl just sat there, missing something and confused. speech

He had left without so much as a goodbye. He knew it was stupid and had regretted it with each step that he had taken away from Valhalla. But he had still left, and he would never forgive himself. She would never forgive him. That is why he made his way back to the plains, where they had first met. He intended to call for her, but as he drew near he knew that it wouldn't be a problem. Seeing that look on her sweet little face broke his heart, and his entire pale body hugged close to the ground as he drew near. He crept closer to her, a whine breaking his maw. He was careful not to cross the boundary, but he crawled closer until his massive head rested on her little paws. "I'm so sorry Cecy, my little Cecy. I had meant to say goodbye-" He whined, cutting himself off as his golden gaze moved up to look at her. Would she hate him forever now?

Bass knew that he was the worst wolf in the world. He had set off to do his own thing, not really taking into effect how it would hurt others. Like Cecily, who was always so happy and full of life. Now she just looked... Well not like herself at all. And it was all his fault. Ears pressed back into his skull as he nuzzled her leg, praying to all the gods out there that she would somehow forgive him. "I started a pack Cecy, my very own pack. I want you to come with me, but I can't make you leave your parents." Like he was making things any better for himself... "I am so sorry Cec... please, please forgive me? I'll do anything." He got an idea then, his eyes looking hopeful. "We can go look for that tiger, so that Signy won't find one before you."

Her White Knight was gone from the pack that he had strove to find admittance in. He had promised her adventure and yet they did not have the chance to find even one before his disappearance. She found her mind tracing the images of his face, as through afraid she might forget them ? after all, she may very well never see him again. She had grown somewhat since their first encounter, her limbs where long now and her paws too large for her body. She was gangly, disproportioned and constantly unbalanced. More than this, for the first time in her life it mattered to her that she looked strange with her long and growing legs and she found herself wondering if she would ever be as beautiful as Emer. So lost in her thoughts, her despairs that she did not notice the object of her mind approach. The sound of his body wriggling through the grass was her first warning and the next thing she knew his head was cradled in her paws as through it was made to fit there. In wonder she would look down at her Golden Eyed boy and for a moment all she could do was blink. He called her his Cecily, and despite the slight indignation that twinged at the title ?little? she could not bring her heart to mind ? it was too full with his sudden appearance. He seemed truly upset and his gaze would fight to meet with hers, and she would not deny him this. Still she had not spoken, all she could do was taken in his eyes and remember that once she had called him his, she had claimed him for her own and would have taken him on all the adventures in the world if he had not vanished on her. He would speak again, words of apology falling from his lips and her eyes would furrow in puzzlement, her Knight had become an Alpha? Did that mean he would turn bossy and growl away her friends like once Erani had? He tried to promise her the world, promised her her tiger. A small smile would tug at the corners of her lips, that mishecious glint would return to her eyes with force, and this would be Bass?s first warning that he was in for it. ?You?re an Alpha now? A King and a Knight? Does that mean, since I found you first and your my boyfriend that your gona take me away to be your princess and rule over all the tigers?? she would ask, draping her head over his as she cradled his crown in her lap and trapped as he was would drop a lick against his forehead. She supposed that running off to rule the world was kinda a good reason to leave behind his Lady, if just for a little while. "Speech"

The pup would not speak a word, leaving him silent in his groveling. He did feel terrible for leaving her behind, but he knew that she would not simply walk away from her mother and sister. He would readily welcome them all into his pack with open arms, although he was unsure where Emer would want to go, and if she would stay under the rule of the new alpha. His sweet Cecily bent down and draped her head over his own, a soft rumbling sound coming from his maw, vibrating against her legs. He was glad that she seemed to be happier now, he couldn't stand to see her frown like that. Her own teasing manner seemed to return, making his pale banner thump against the grasses. A soft kiss was placed on his forehead, and a deep sigh left his maw. Had she forgiven him then?

His chuckle rumbled on her paws at her words, his golden gaze finding her green one. "I do have a tiger there Cecily, one just made an alliance with my pack. She said that she wanted to meet you." He said softly, a wide grin on his maw. He had told Chaika all about Cecily, about how jealous she would be that he was meeting her. And she had been welcomed into his pack, and he wished to bring the young pup to come and see her. She could parade her in front of Signy all she wanted. His eyes grew somewhat sober though as he searched her face, wondering if she knew what it all entailed if she came with him. "You would have to ask your mom, Cecy. I can't just take you without your mom knowing, she may launch a full out search to find you." He said, chuckling softly. "I wish I could just sweep my Lady off her paws and take her to my new kingdom, with you riding on the back of your tiger steed." He smiled softly at her, snuggling further into her cuddle.

Bass let out another sigh, lapping softly at Cecily's brown leg. He did want to take them all to his pack, but he couldn't just steal her like he wanted to. That would not be good, they would come after him and his pack if he did that. Since Abaven was just starting out, that was hardly the reputation he wanted to start off as.

She would look down into the eyes of her boy and felt herself oddly surprised with what she had found. She felt like she had been so much younger when first they had met, and felt as if she had known him now forever. Yet he clearly still had it in him to surprise her, with his creating a pack on his own, showing his ability to do so and hold the wolves there together. More than this, his next words would tell her something of what he had accomplished, with a tiger that had already made an alliance with him. It seemed he had already caught for them a tiger, as though he left Valhalla to accomplish all things in life and was returning to her already in triumph. She asked him if he came here to take her away to be a princess to rule over all the tigers and a soft chuckle would leave his lips. He would put forth then what it truly entailed and her stomach tightened, even as the laughter left her eyes. Now she understood what he was asking, or saying and suddenly rather than things becoming clear she would become more confused. Was he saying he had not come to collect her, or that he was and he was asking a lot of her. Her brow furrowed and no answer came to her, at last she had no other option but to ask it. ?Are you saying the choice is between you or my Emer, my Signy, My Taddeo?? she whispered. speech

All things were forgotten when she spoke, his ears laying flat against his head. He didn't want that to be what she had to decide, nor did he ever want her to have to decide. Bass firmly shook his head, his golden eyes shutting firmly to block out that sad face from his vision. It broke him in half to see her like that, to realize that life wasn't all fun and games. This was an adult decision that a pup was not facing. "I don't want that to be your choice Cecy. Your whole family is welcome to come to Abaven, I don't want to take you away from them. You don't have to worry about losing me, because I'm not going anywhere." Bass raised his head from her paws and pressed his nose to her shoulder, breathing in her scent. "We may be away in distance, but we are never apart at heart. I will still come and visit you, I will even see if Chaika will come just on the other side of the border to meet you." Bass wanted to do something for her, anything to make her life easy again. Unfortunatly they all had to face it at some point, to make hard choices. He didn't want to be the one to make her decide, to choose between her family and him. He wanted to reassure her that he would never forget her. "If your family doesn't want to come, maybe we can set up a meeting place for us. We can meet there whenever you need me, you just howl for me and I will come for you. We can do this Cecy." His words were soft, quietly spoken to her. He wanted to make it all go away...

cellpadding="5" cellspacing="25" style="width:550px; border:1px solid #000; background-position:bottom; background-repeat:no-repeat; background-color:#000">

Her boy seemed to grow older with her words, wiser and sadder and she would still her questions to allow her Knight to speak. He told her that he did not want this to be her decision, but she simply did not see how it could be otherwise. He promised her he was not going anywhere, and she opened her mouth to question this ? because he was an Alpha now, how could he not? But he would continue on and her muzzle would simply close once more. He constantly made little movements about her, nuzzling against her or breathing in her scent. She was too distracted to enjoy the attention, to afraid that she was about to lose him. She had never considered it before, but suddenly, with fright she realised that she could not. She shook a little, terrified of her own realisation, of what on earth it might mean. Suddenly even the tiger did not matter. ?How can you say that? You?ll be gone physically, and gone is gone. You?ll be an Alpha, how could you spare time to journey out here to meet me?? she whispered, unable to speak these terrible words louder than her softest voice. What was he doing to her! was it just the thought of losing him that made him seem all the more important? Or was this real. She could feel tears burning at the back of her eyes and suddenly all she wanted in the world was Val, she [i] needed[ /i] Val, and she needed him right now. Her chest was burning and she heaved another breath. She was falling apart, what was happening to her! She needed Val. She needed Val. She needed Val. She needed Val. Her thoughts where near historical at this point. There was no more room for rational thought, and Cecily would scramble to her paws, and away from Bass, she was crying freely now, her bright green eyes clouded and red with the effort of these tears, chest heaving heart breaking tears the likes of which she had never in her life felt before. ?No. No. Bass, whatever way you put it your leaving me!? she cried, her voice was not a whisper now. ?You left once, and your leaving again and all you can think about is leaving. Leaving, leaving, leaving!? her chest heaved again and her breath came out in little gasps like her heart might explode. speech

He could almost feel her tears welling within her, threatening to fall. And it was all his fault. He flinched away from her, her words cutting him like knives. His ears lay flat against his skull as he curled slightly, just wanting to vanish. Young, they were both so young. But all these big adult things were crushing them like a vice, pushing them away and driving a wedge between them. He just kept shaking his head as she spoke, her words sounding distorted as she pulled away and cried. He let his head thump against the earth, not caring about the slight sting that buzzed up his jawline. Nothing was as painful as her words, nothing hurt as much as seeing her cry did. He felt broken and abused, like he had just ruined the young girls life.

He could hardly speak, his head whipping up to gaze softly at her tear stained face. This was his fault, his doing. "I don't want to leave Cec, I never want to leave you side. I want to ask you to come away with me, but I don't want you to have to leave your family. Bring them too Cecily, and just come away with me." His vocals were begging with her, even though he was going through his own dilemma in saying this. She would never leave her mom, he knew that. And yet, and yet he still asked her. He still wished to take her away, even though he felt bad. He just wanted this to all go away, for all these problems to just vanish. As she cried out Bass threw his paws over his ears, trying to drown out the sound. "I just don't know what to do Cec. I want you by my side always." He whispered, just wishing that those tears would stop.

"Speech"
'thoughts'

She was distraught and she knew she was over reacting, but she couldn?t stop herself. The tears still spilled freely over her eyes and she felt in her heart of hearts like she was breaking. She didn?t even understand why this mattered so much, or why it hurt so freely. People had left before, friends had come and gone and she had almost forgotten their passing, had found other friends and had her family as a steady beat beside her. Why did it break her to think of Bass leaving her, why was she such a mess, pouring out her heard through her eyes ducts, heaving her chest until she could not breathe. He would speak again, his words soft, begging her to calm and to be okay. She drew in a ragged breath and listened to his words. He wanted take her away, he did, but he did not want to stay. In his mind staying did not exist, adventure, leadership and power lay just outside the border of Valhalla for him, and all that remained in them was her. It was obvious to her which he had chosen, and he may truly wish with all his heart that she would follow him, but not even for her what he stay. The thought of joining with him, of being his princess was there, bright in her thoughts, but leaving her family was not something she had ever considered before and nor was it something she thought she was capable of. She loved Val and Emer, and Signy and Taddeo, they were a part of her, a guarantee in her life that they would always be there for her and would love her unconditionally. No matter how much trouble she got herself into, Emer and Val had always been there for her, they always appeared when she needed them, her little angels. But they were not here now, and she did not even know what to think of her current situation. She hung her head, suddenly ashamed of her tears. Her heart and thoughts and emotions where all over the place, splattered across her mind and out of control. He spoke again, saying that he wanted her by his side. ?But you won?t stay? she whispered ?and if I went, would I be your princess? Or just another member. Would you be Erani, would it be your right then to boss me around? Would things never be as they were?? why did he have to go and change everything? Why did he have to do it, wasn?t she good enough for him? "Speech"

The whole world seemed to stop around them, all there was was sadness and pain, an overwhelming sensation. Bass simply did not know what to do with himself, he felt like a leave lost in the currents of the wind. Left, right, up, down. It was all beginning to make him feel rather ill. He dearly cared for Cecily, although in what form that was unknown. He felt that they were both too young for love, they both had a lot of growing up to do until they could do that. She was more like his closest friend, a special friend that occupied a rather special place in his heart. It was too difficult to think on, so he tried to focus on anything else. Anything at all. He wanted no more pain for his Cecily, no more hurt. If she came with him, he could protect her and make sure that she would forever be a princess. The young girl seemed to calm down, making Bass squint open his eyes and remove his paws from his ears. He was acting much like a child as well, trying to hide himself from his problems, literally. He shook his head sadly, a soft and broken sigh leaving his maw. "No Cecy, I'm not staying in Valhalla. I have found a new place to call my own, which is why I want you with me. Its not the same without my Cecily by my side." He offered her a soft smile, although it did not quite reach his eyes. She went on to ask him more things, and his smile grew into a true one. "You will always be my princess Cecy. You could even go around and tell everyone that you are Abaven's new princess." He let out a soft laugh, rising into a seated position. When she asked a question about bossing her around, his head shook firmly. "I won't be all bossy to you Cecily, unless its training and that's only because that is pretty much what training is. And things will be just as we were, we can go on plenty of adventures together." Sure, as an Alpha he had a ton of things to do, but he also had the freedom to do as he saw fit. An adventure with Cecily sounded like a grand idea. Speech,

wordsHer breathing was still irregular and it sounded hoarse to her own ears. She knew she was still crying, the occasional tear slipping past her cheek and sparkling upon the dark shades of her coat. She was so confused now, she wanted him to stay with her, wanted him to tell her that he would never leave and that she was important. He promised her adventures and training and to be a princess of the pack, but he did not promise that she would be his, or that he would be hers. A new emotion overwhelmed her, took a hold of her entire body until nothing else mattered. She wanted him to go, she didn?t want to see his face right now, he should just prove that he did not care and turn around right now and go. Clearly he wanted to! Clearly he wanted to be anywhere but here so prove it!! her mind seemed to scream it at her and she would open her maw. To her surprise these would not be the words that came free. ?I need? I need? I need Val? she said simply, as though he held the answers to all the world. With that she would turn, she had intended to never look back, to not see his expression but she could not help herself. Her eyes would search for him and a hint of a smile would touch her tear stained cheek, there was hope on the smile, a promise, that this was not the end. She said nothing more but turn and ran. "Speech"