*Crunch.* The rabbit?s terrified shriek was cut short by the jaws of the Psi Secondary as they closed around the neck with a vicious snap. Sarak raised his head, rabbit dangling from his jaws, moss green eyes sweeping the plains. It had been a swift, short chase. Sarak was a master at rabbits. They didn?t last long in a chase with the cunning ex assassin on their tails, and he and Valhalla remained well fed. Though he had little appetite. He ate, because one day, Azalea would be back. And she would have his hide if he was a skeleton with fur when she returned.
Turning with a sigh, he padded toward the den of the recently birthed mother, Emer. Erani had briefed him on Emer?s history, so he was respectful of her personal space, dropping the meals he caught for the Mothers of Valhalla just beyond the five foot radius outside her den. He knew she?d birthed her pups, from the change in scents, and the soft, muted squeals and squeaks from inside from time to time. It was a bunch of sounds that triggered an instinctual warmth in him, and usually helped to brighten his day a little. How he had escaped the mindset of his birth pack was anyone?s guess. Erani was possibly a heavy influence, having had pups not long after his capture into Valhalla. Azalea, too, must have influenced him.
Sarak dropped the rabbit as he reached the usual spot and paused, ears pressed forward to catch the sounds from inside. They were met with the faint sounds of suckling, snuffling, the occasional squeak or whine. All was well in the world. Sarak turned, heading back toward the rest of the territory.
Emer tended not to get out all that much. It had been that way before the birth really, too scared to deal with others and isolating herself within the sanctuary of her den was the best thing she felt she could do. Slowly but surely the kindness of Valhalla had begun to allow her to venture out a little more, speak with the wolves of her pack but it certainly didn't stop her feeling nervous about everything.
Since the birth of her children she'd taken a step back though. She longed to protect them with every fibre of her being, hated being away from them and was as reluctant as ever to leave the den, even if she had begun the first steps to making friends with others in the pack. Her children were the most important thing, and she had to keep close. Now more than ever she was grateful for the help that the members of the pack gave her, for she certainly couldn't hunt easily whilst trying to remain with her pups.
The wind carried a scent towards the den, the meal hit her nose first making her stomach rumble. The wolf that brought her the food was one she couldn't name though could recognise by scent, whoever he was he had brought her food many times before. One day she would have to thank these wolves properly, but for now she simply couldn't bring herself to venture out and meet them all.
Feeling rather eager for her food however, Emer would pull herself away from the sleeping bundles, growing so swiftly already and make her way out of the den. A little quicker than usual today she could see the male who had left her food, only just starting to walk away. She waited before stepping any closer, but manners found themselves kicking in even if her feet wouldn't. "Thank you."
Movement from behind told her that Emer had come out sooner than usual, but he respected her by pretending he hadn?t heard her, until her voice uttered a soft thank you. He paused, looking over his shoulder at the female with deep moss green eyes. He regarded her quietly for a moment, before nodding. ?My pleasure, as well as my duty, Lady.? There was a faint rasp to his low tones; he rarely spoke, beyond his lessons with Lyric, and the Pack hunt, for planning the take down of the big bull.
He started away again, but paused, turning slowly and settling on his haunches, lean frame lithe as a cat. He regarded her for a moment, before his eyes strayed beyond her to the mouth of her den, ears perking. ?How are they doing?? It was an honest question that gave much away about his character.
Emer wasn't entirely sure what her plan of action was but at least she had thanked one of the kindly wolves that had been helping her survive. She wasn't sure how much the other members of the pack were aware of about her, but all the same she was more grateful than she could really voice to this wonderful wolves that were still technically strangers to her.
?My pleasure, as well as my duty, Lady.? Perhaps it was only their duty, a command to bring food to her but all the same she was thankful that someone in the pack was looking out for her. A small smile graced her lips, there was a point such an expression was rare, though these days it was becoming more frequent, her pups already finding little ways to make her smile. Even simply watching them sleep had been an utter joy to her.
He had begun to move away once more, Emer only now realising she actually lacked the conversation skills to really know what else to say at the moment beyond the thank you. Like Sarak her days were typically spent in silence, only soft words spoken to Cecily, Taddeo and Signy. ?How are they doing?? He had stopped once more, and to her surprise asked about her children.
"They're wonderful." Emer responded with a fond smile. "Growing quickly though." Too quickly in some ways for her liking, their movement had certainly improved and it wouldn't be long before she could no longer contain them within their little sanctuary. It would be much more difficult to protect them from the world then.
Emer?s response helped break that slight uneasy silence, and he smiled, a rare expression on his face these days. ?I have two boys? They aren?t exactly mine though. Not through blood. My mate? During the war between Valhalla and Glaciem she was taken prisoner, and Isardis sired them against her will while she was a prisoner there. She escaped during the siege, and birthed them in Valhalla. Kismet and Soren. I am pleased to say, they take after their mother in looks.? Were they alright? ?When Isardis? little pet challenged for Valhalla? She won, and released all but my boys. I suppose they?re prisoners in Glaciem now. My mate vanished on the same day.? The stubborn light in his eyes said he wasn?t going to give up hope that Azalea would return someday.
His eyes turned to Emer again. ?What are there names?? Would any be hunters someday? Valhalla could always use the paws to help bring in food, especially when it became harder to get in the winter.
At Sarak's starting comment Emer was reminded of how little she knew about the wolves in the pack. She had no idea who also called Valhalla home, didn't know their names or stories and certainly couldn't even begin to guess what this man's name was before her now. It was perhaps rather bad really, as his story progressed it was clear he too was suffering with a tough time right about now and yet here he was getting on with life and feeding the strange hermit that had appeared in the pack.
"I'm sorry." She responded, sympathy for the man's troubles in her eyes. Already she was struggling to even imagine the pain she might suffer if anyone was to take her children away from her. Given the way she still reacted to most of the pack even now she couldn't help but figure her own solution would be further isolation and likely no food or contact at all with anyone. "I hope they all come home to you soon." It'd be nice perhaps to see Azalea for herself, perhaps not quite the same circumstances though rather similar to her own. How had she coped? Did this Isardis still haunt her or could Emer hope that things would one day get better.
"Cecily, Taddeo and Signy." She responded. As for their looks, for the most part she could see shades of browns from her own family, though there was no ignoring Cecily's darker tones nor Signy's black fur that had surely come from the man in the crypt. She refused to think of him as their father really, tried never to think of him at all though of course he still haunted her now.
