The chosen of land to patrol that day was the swampy marshes of Avian Estuary. Recently the pups had been born and with plenty of wolves to help watch over them, Gilgamesh requested Modesty to tag along with him today. Knowing she probably wasn't back at full energy just yet, he keeps his pace slow and deliberate. Making sure to avoid the wettest of areas and attempting to keep them on a rather dry path.

"The pups appear healthy," Gilgamesh begins, the ease of small talk feeling more natural as his brain attempted to navigate the changes made from his injury. "I hope Sakana is proving useful as well and keeping you and Jael healthy too," he adds on, his stoic expression keeping any sort of "old Gil" hidden. No smiles, no crinkling eyes, just straight forward and nonsensical. More like... Gil before he met Modesty, but with an edge.

"Is there anything I can help with? I feel my injury is getting better. I should be able to do more soon," there is a sliver of hope there, an open wound of pride that he was becoming too useless. If they could conceive pups without him, then what good was he to the pack anymore? Continuing south through the estuary toward the southern beach, Gilgamesh steals a few glances toward Modesty, wondering what all she'll reveal to him.

The Raid King, Gilgamesh

table coding by bunni ♥

Modesty was getting into a habit of being up with the sun, making a circle of the Moor to check on and feed the stock, then coming back to the treehouse to check on Jael and the kids then going back out to the Estuary to make sure everything was as it should be. She had spotted a giant, dinosaur like bird out of the edges of the Estuary and wanted to make sure it stayed out towards the edges and away from Nim's turtle pond. She was also doing her best to map out where they should build a shelter for the birds to encourage them into nesting boxes, rather than... all over the place like they currently were.

This morning, however? She had allowed herself a rare sleep in. Ken had told her the night before he would look after the livestock in the mornings, she was almost sure it was because he planned on setting up another still that he didn't want his mother stumbling across but, if it meant he was taking on more responsibility, she wouldn't deny him that.

Gil's invitation was met with a smile that wasn't returned, and she tripped over it for just a minute. It wasn't his fault, and it wasn't her fault, everything was fine. He was alive and he was here and that was enough. Wasn't it?

It was easier when they were walking and she could focus on where she was placing her paws, eyes forward and ears tipping to take in the sounds of the estuary around them. The distant machine-gun clacking, like a woodpecker, but... more visceral, caught her attention for a moment, but then Gil was talking and she turned her ears towards him instead. It was easier if she wan't looking at him.

"Sakana is invaluable as always, and the pups seem to be doing well..." A few were... Unusual. Pythia was clearly blind as a bat and something wasn't quite right with Corsair... almost like Gil wasn't right but not quite... More... conflicted. Serious. Potentially dangerous, going from 0 to 100 in the blink of an eye, one beast clearly winning out over the other, but both confused, neither certain. Maybe he'd grow out of it? Who knew?

But she forced a smile, considering his offer. "They'd all be better off learning to fight from someone who actually knows what they are doing." She swung her hip to bump against his, "They won't always have a tree to fall out of." She allowed her gaze to turn back towards the Estuary as they made their way down to the beach. "I was talking to Nimbus about the best way to make use of all these birds, we were thinking maybe a shelter where we feed them until they get used to us. If they associate us with food rather than being it, maybe we can encourage them to nest somewhere easier to get to." It was light work. She didn't want to ask him to go waging wars. Not yet.

"What do you want to do about Ethne?" She had no idea what name they were going by these days, but changing a name didn't change who they were, at their core.

"speech"

He notices how she doesn’t exactly meet his eye, but he doesn’t really blame her either. Not that he quite remembers the old him, but from the way Modesty and the others act, he knows something isn’t right. At times, it doesn’t bother him, like in this moment, as they walk because he feels he’s trying. But when he’s alone, patrolling those borders, ensuring his paranoia doesn’t win him over, he wonders if he could change…

Her forced smile that doesn’t reach her eyes has his heart deflating slightly, but his expression doesn’t react. Instead, his gazes moves away, ears turning to listen to her. Until she swings her hip to his, his gait stumbling a step and a rare smile reveals on his grey lips. “It has been a while since you’ve fallen from a tree,” Gilgamesh teases back, leaning over to bump his shoulder into hers once his steps are corrected.

“Nimbus should be capable of such a feat,” Gilgamesh muses, a hum in his throat as he looks out around the estuary. There truly were a lot of birds around here and corralling some of them would do them good. “I’ll set up some lessons. Both with the new brood and the older ones who need more training,” he sighs, knowing he won’t be able to raid for forever. Were they already getting that old?

Her question though has his attention, something rippling through his expression and down his spine enough that his fur puffs up. Just because his personality chip was damaged did not mean his memory had been affected. “I told Bellamy when she approached our border that day that I would come for Haydee. I wonder sometimes if it is even worth the effort if she is always going to be a coward and have others defend her honor for her,” Gilgamesh muses aloud, knowing Modesty would have some sort of opinion on the matter.

Modesty's shoulders itched to tense and push forward towards her ears at the mention of Bellamy on their borders, of Haydee constantly hiding in the shadow of others, but she breathed in deeply through her nose and allowed a sigh to pass her lips. Her head shook first, caracal ears smacking against her cheeks before her shoulders followed suit with clacking quills. By the time the movement reached her hips and tail it was barely a wiggle, her limbs moving easier with the dispelled tension. She was at home, Gil was by her side. She knew everything was fine, for now.

While she was still pissed and would reward her pack for causing harm to whatever they were calling themselves these days if they happened to run into them, Modesty had no desire to take out Haydee's cowardice on the rest of the pack. If someone had come after Deluge, wouldn't she step in and protect her daughter? She couldn't fault them for that. Karma would run its course she was certain, in the long run. "We will not forgive, and we won't forget," A small sharp-edged grin pulled at her lips, punctuated with a nonchalant shrug. "She'll get what's coming to her, one way or another." She left it open for Gil to interpret that how he wanted. If he wanted to be the swift paw of justice, she wouldn't tell him no, and if the opportunity presented itself, she fully expected him to act. There was no advantage to keeping them onside, therefore, the consequences would be negligible.

She wanted the distance to close up between them and inched closer as they strolled, an easy smile on her face circling back to his mention that it had been a while since she had fallen from a tree. A change of topic to something lighter, more fitting for the day. "Maybe I never really fell in the first place and fully intended to capture you, did you ever consider that?" She couldn't keep the fondness from her voice or the hint of a tease. She wanted to believe Artorias, that the changes were just temporary, and despite the new strain between them they were strong enough to overcome it.

That they would be ok.

"speech"

It was obvious by her body language and motions that she was done speaking on the topics of politics. For Gilgamesh, that was fine by him. He too was tired of the semantics, the bullshit, the frustrating frustrations that came with dealing with supposed leaders that couldn't actual lead. Or wolves that were too cowardly to deal with the problems they created. So he doesn't reply, doesn't speak on what Modesty says. It's not that he disagrees, it's quite the opposite - he agrees wholeheartedly. Now was the time to allow mother nature to run her course.

Instead, he focuses on how Modesty inches closer, closing the distance as they draw nearer to the beach. Greeted by the sound of waves rolling onto sand, his ears perking up at the calming noise. They then turn to Modesty as she speaks, her words fond and teasing. What say poses brings back an even fonder memory, one that actually does bring a smile to his lips this time. Everything that had happened in the last few seasons washed away, stripping Gilgamesh back to... Gil. The Gil that was unashamedly and irrevocably in love with Modesty well before she ever knew she was in love with him.

"I knew I was captured the moment you landed on top of me," he replies easily, his chin turning to reach out and press his cheek to hers for a moment. His paws stop, the cool sand beneath them sinking beneath his weight. Closing his eyes and letting out a sigh, he finally feels all the emotions begin to well up. "I wish we could go back," Gilgamesh whispers, a true and honest admission that he hadn't even told himself.

The Raid King, Gilgamesh

table coding by bunni ♥

There was no stopping the way her heart twisted at the admission. She considered how far they had come from two carefree loners, crashing parties and travelling across the lands with nothing more to worry about than where their next meal was coming from and where they were going to sleep that night. "What's stopping us?" It was clearly a tease, there were children to look after. While she could walk away from the treehouse, the livestock, all the weight and responsibility in a heartbeat... She wasn't sure that Deluge was ready to step up to the plate, Sid had her shit to work through... Maybe Cal was the better option? But would she look out for her younger siblings? They were on their own feet, she'd just have to throw food at them occasionally...

As much as she cared for Jael she missed it just being the two of them. "Maybe we just need a holiday? Just the two of us. We could treat it as a test run..." A dream, but they could indulge in what ifs down here on the beach, couldn't they?

"speech"

GILGAMESH

Gilgamesh’s eyes widen, a chuckle of surprise leaving him as he looks at Modesty. He knows she’s teasing him, but the urge to just go… To be alone again. Just them versus the world. No strings attached. If only Deluge were up for the task. Hell, even Scald might step up to the plate. Or Sid or Cal. Sakana wasn’t their own, but fuck he might as well be. The boy had a level head on his shoulders, it wouldn’t be that risky, right?

Coming to sit in the sand, toes just touching the rolling waves, he looks out to the water to contemplate. Inside, he warred with the idea. Old Gil says yes, fuck everyone, let’s go. New Gilgamesh is terrified at the idea of leaving his pack behind. Unsafe, unprotected, without him there. His teeth clench, muscles tightening for a moment before he relaxes. “Maybe it would do me some good,” he says, his voice a little tense, but trying. Not for himself, but for Modesty. She deserved it more than he ever did.

Modesty could almost smell the anxiety that rippled over Gilgamesh. The tensing of his shoulders, the subtle grind as teeth clenched, she kept an easy smile on her face and looked across the water to where the castle should be peeking out of the distant haze, fighting to keep her own body conveying calm. She had the same worries about leaving them alone to do their own thing. "Maybe we build up to it, a day trip first, and then a night away? If we're sneaky enough, they won't even know we're gone." Her tone was almost conspiratorial, a playful light dancing in her eyes. As much as the weight of it all weighed her down, when it was just the two of them, she could let herself relax a little.

"speech"