Aislyn

This was really beginning to piss her off. She had believed his pleads, took him back home with her, and even allowed him to stay in her den when they weren't mates, and what did she get? Nothing! She should have never met him, when he came to her call she should have shunned him away, sending him in the other direction! She knew it was too good to be true. Love? Yeah, screw that. She needed one thing from the beginning, and that was Liberty. Now that she had her, he was no longer needed. She couldn't help but snap toward the snow falling around her body. He made her so angry! Lips curled into a silent snarl, tail lashed angrily, claws dug deep into the slush beneath her. She was beyond pissed. What was she going to do? Throw him to the side, hope she'll find love before she gets too old, or simply live alone, a crotchety old wench? No, that wasn't her, that wasn't what she wanted to turn into either. Mouth grew dry, stomach churned in all directions until it was in knots. She loved him... and this hurt. It hurt a lot. Which made her hate him. Ugh. Love was so confusing. She needed to find him, or at least call for him, before she made a permanent decision. What if he didn't come? What if he did, and had a good reason for being gone? What if everything was solved, and he did this again? What if they talked, and everything was fantastic, and they lived happily ever after? The scenarios were driving her crazy. She just needed to know, what to do, how to feel, where to go with the rest of her life. If we was going to be gone a lot, then she would have to leave him. She was the beta for fuck sakes, she needed someone pack orientated, someone who would be by her side at all times. She needed a real man... Head titled back as she sang for him. Anyone who heard could tell she was distressed, broken, confused, in need of some... love.

((saying my characters were sick in the time I was gone)) Fatigue wracked his body, limbs so tired that pain seemed to ball up in his joints and lock them into place. He didn't know how long he had been in this place, curled up in a tight ball along the boarder. He vaguely knew a pack meeting had been called and held but he had been unable to gather the strength to go to it. Did he even want to go to this one after the last one? No... No he didn't... So he had dragged himself to his den instead, sorting through a few dried herbs he had collected, just a few for just in case during the winter. He wished he had done more, wished he could have gotten his collection to be as big and extensive as his mothers. If this was home, if she was here he would have been better in a few days. She always knew what to do... She had been blind as a bat and crazy as a loon near the end but she had still known her way around her herbs, able to find exactly what she needed in seconds it seemed. Maybe if he ever lived to be her age he could be that knowledgeable. Though a few days ago he had been fairly sure death had been around the corner. 4 days of fever riddled dreams, pain and stomach rejecting anything he tried to eat including the herbs that would eventually make him better. He felt like hell, but today was better, he could move if he wanted to now. Not without a fair amount of pain but the herbs were beginning to work, bringing down the red hot pain in his joints and thankfully breaking his fever. He lay, curled into a ball as if hoping he could disappear into himself, trying to get a bit of rest while he could. No one had come looking for him, even Aislyn seemed to be preoccupied with their daughter and didn't seem too worried about what he did anymore. He had barely seen her since Liberty's birth. Hadn't really seen her since he had tried to ask her to be his mate and had been interrupted by their old alpha. A heavy sigh slid through his teeth as eyes opened and he tried to flex his muscles. They weren't overly sore but they were simply tired. It seemed that the worst was over and now it was just time to recover. He needed food, needed to go hunting. Maybe tomorrow... Maybe he would go find Liberty and see if she wanted to hunt bunnies with him. Though he probably looked awful, his normally well groomed coat matted and dirty from his time laying in one spot. Maybe he should bathe and then go see her... That sounded like a better idea... He nodded slightly, trying to focus his resolve as he rolled himself onto his stomach and then began to position his legs to get up. It was harder then he had thought it would be, waves of fatigue rolling over him once he finally got himself up. He had missed the winter, the chill and the snow... He was a bit disappointed that the lake was more or less frozen over but if he could find a nice snowbank he could get himself a bit more presentable. It was one step at a time, the normally handsome brute looking like he had been hit by a sack of shit as he focused on placing one paw in front of the other. He found a snowdrift in no time at all, it wasn't like there was a shortage of them, and almost fell into it. A cloud of powered snow flew up around his body as he rolled and thrashed. The cold came as a shock, a sharp jolt that instantly made him more alert. Shoulders rolled as he flipped himself on his back, body wiggling to and fro as he attempted to get cleaner. It was while he was doing this that he heard her call. She wanted to see him? That was a rare occurrence... Last time he had even caught her scent she had been taking Liberty and leaving the pack lands... A deep breath was drawn in as he rolled onto his stomach and allowed his ears to flip towards the sound, she wasn't far thankfully. Did he want her to see him like this? He was getting thin, the lack of eating for the past few weeks weighing down on him just as much as the sickness had. Now with a slightly damp coat his fur clung more to his body and gave him a rather sickly appearance. That, luckily, could get fixed... Once again the male hauled himself to his paws, splaying his paws to keep his balance as he shook his coat out rather violently. Once done he simply looked fluffy and dirty. The snow hadn't gotten all the dirt off. But it was the best he could do for now... Head tipped back and a short, softer howl answered hers easily as he started walking with a simple message 'I'm coming'. Though the distance wasn't far it took him almost half an hour to get to her, legs trembling slightly and threatening to give out. This was too much walking for his first day up and and about but he didn't really want to tell Aislyn to come to him instead. That wouldn't exactly be the gentlemanly thing to do... As he approached the sight of her brought up the usual turmoil of emotions. She was beautiful, the perfect woman but she was also the ball and chain that was forcing him to remain in these pack lands. Back at home he had never had an issue staying home, had never strayed far from pack lands and had always been there when any of his family had needed him. Being a rouge had been hard on him but he had coped, even begun to enjoy it for a while but had always wanted what he had lost... He had wanted family and someone to love. He thought he had found that with Aislyn but she had duties to attend as beta and all he could do was wander. He had no purpouse or rank in this pack, no reason to be for and that was hard on him. He wasn't used to having no purpouse... His purpouse should be caring for his family but Ais had proved time and time again that she didn't really need him, that she could have this family in her own... But still as he approached he smiled weakly at her. "Aislyn... I've missed you..." he breathed, tail waving weakly at his heels. He wanted nothing more then to wrap her in an embrace but he wasn't sure if his legs could take anymore moving and though he was on the home streatch for getting better he didn't know if he was contagious or not still. Or even what was wrong with him...

Aislyn

She waited, paws facing, heart aching. What was going to happen? She could only wonder. Ears perked as he returned her call. It was an odd call. Soft and quiet, maybe even distressed. What in the world was going on? She waited, eyes locked on the direction the call had come from. Ten minutes went by, ten more, and another ten. He was taking awfully long, and he wasn't too far off from where she was. So why was he taking so long? Random scenarios took place in her mind. What of he was hurt, or what of he was merely ignoring her? What if he had a change of heart, and left Valhalla for good? What if he was with someone else? What if... he was dying? Ears folded flat against the woman's skull. So many things could go wrong, and with her luck, it was always something. Tail licked her heels as she anxiously waited for him. She could heard soft rustling in the bushes ahead of her. She straightened herself up, prepared for anything he might throw at her; but was she saw was not expected. He looked so... sickly. Was this the reason why he had almost untraceable lately? It made her fell a bit guilty. Why hadn't he called for someone? Erani was the best healer around, she even revived a drowning woman in a river! Surely she could do some black magic on Friction to make him feel better. "Friction.." His name was almost a whisper on her breath. Now she remembered why she had taken him home with her, why she had chosen him to father her child, why she had... fallen in love with him. She couldn't stop herself. Legs drove her forward as she came up to him, plush ivory fur mixing with his ashy pelt as she embraced him the best way she could. She was fairly smaller than him, but she did what she could. All she wanted was this moment, forever. "Friction I.." Words were cut off as tears swelled in her eyes. What could she even say? It was obvious he was so sick, and no one had even bothered helping him. "Why didn't you tell me?" She murmured as she buried her face into the crook of his neck.

She was beautiful as always, that coat of hers making him want to bury his face in her ruff and let the world melt away. But it was those eyes that he couldn't tear his gaze from, some much like his, so much like their daughters and filled with so much pain as she looked at him. Had he been wrong to keep his sickness to himself? He hadn't wanted to jeopardize the pack, that had always been how his mother had dealt with their sicknesses when they had been younger. She had kept them separate and had attended to them herself most of the time if it was bad. It wasn't worth it getting everyone else sick after all. What if he had gotten Aislyn sick? What would Liberty do? No... He had done the right thing, she had too many responsibilities to fall sick so this was for the best. He would stand by his decision to keep himself quarantined at the boarders. The male wasn't even sure if it was a good idea to be here now, to be seeing her but... He couldn't say no, he never could to her... Even if every part of his brain said no his heart pulled him back to her and now here he stood, still trying to keep her safe by keeping distance between them. But as his name fell from her lips, barely more then a whisper, he felt his legs tremble, pushing his diminished form towards her even as she threw herself at him. She covered the distance far quicker then he as be wrapped his neck around hers in a tight embrace, fighting back the lump that was growing in his throat and the sting that was beginning in his eyes. He didn't want to be away from her for that long ever again... "Shhhhh..." he soothed at he licked the back of her neck tenderly, pressing his face into the thick fur covering her neck and shoulders. Why hadn't he told her? He would never want to get her sick and knowing her she wouldn't have wanted to leave his side the entire time and would have ended up catching whatever had already gotten a hold of him. "I didn't want to get anyone here sick, especially you. One of us had to be well enough to take care of Liberty..." he said softly, voice barely able to rise above a whisper. And what if he had called her? What if she had come and carried the sickness back to their daughter? She didn't have the same immune system that they had, it could have been bad. That thought was what had kept him from giving in at those low moments when he had been so sick he had almost wished for death, those low moments when all he had wanted was to see Aislyn... He hadn't called for their safety... And even now... He would have to give them some herbs to take so they would be less likely to get sick. He was fairly sure he had something that could boost immune systems... He really had to collect more herbs next spring... It was then that he felt a dampness on his shoulder and he took a step back, running his nose along her neck then cheek as he backed up. "Please don't cry, I'll be fine, I promise. There's no way some sickness could keep me from you for long" he said softly, tongue sweeping along we cheekbone to lap up the tears. He wouldn't have her cry for him, not when he was finally getting better.

Aislyn

Shivers rolled down her spine as his tongue caressed her pelt. It felt nice having his warmth so close when it was so bitterly cold outside. She listened to him, but her thoughts ran wild. She didn't know what to do or say, but somehow words formed from her lips. "But if I would have known you were sick, I could have had a healer help you. You wouldn't have gotten anyone sick, and you could have been here with me." She nuzzled deeper into him while turning her body so she was fully pressed against his side. She sucked up her tears, fighting back the sadness she felt in her heart. This was so hard on her, having the feeling of love but thinking it will never work. Before Friction she had never had a love affair or even a crush on anyone. Besides her fling with Cairo she had always been so independent, but ever since that day in the forest, when he of all wolves came to her call... it had changed. Something inside her earned for more, twisted and changed into the wife she hoped she would become. She wanted this, she wanted true love. "If it's not a sickness, it could be something else." She murmured halfheartedly. She felt his tongue wipe her face, and she pulled away, bringing her face a few inches away from his. "I need to know if this is real Friction." Eyes drifted up to meet his, gaze stung with sadness. It felt so real, but then again it felt so fake. If she was going to commit herself to this man she needed to know right now if this was it, if this really was real. She needed his love, his passion, his support, just him, in general, forever. She wanted to hear him say it, she wanted him to ask her to be his. He needed to be her mate for the rest of their lives, or she would drift away.

Who was he even kidding, he needed her. He had been trying to separate himself from her before he had gotten sick to try and sort through all these feelings that had been running rampant within himself. He had been torn between having his freedom stripped of him and falling for this woman he barely knew. But in his weeks being sick he had wanted nothing more then to have Aislyn next to him, to have her at his side even if she was unable to help him. Just her presence made him feel better, lifted his spirits. He could never leave her, could never be away from her for more then a few days. He never wanted to have to again... She nestled into his ruff and he curled his neck around her's tenderly as she spoke. Yes he could have called to her, god he couldn't even express how much he had wanted to call to her. It had taken every fibre of his being to not call out for her, to get her to chase those fevered dreams away. "I don't think that half trained pup would have been much help..." he murmured with a sigh. The only healers he had heard mentioned was Erani and that youngster she had been training before being demoted. She turned around and pressed her body into his, her curves somehow seeming to slot perfectly against his own form. "I don't know if I've ever told you, but my mother was an amazing healer. People used to come from every pack to seek her advice even after she lost her sight. I grew up with everyone telling me stories of my mother before she lost her sight... Not that she wasn't just as amazing when she was blind, she just couldn't travel as much" he said with a wistful sigh, gazing at the lands as he spoke. He had grown up with such huge expectations, he had been in line to take over his mothers pack when he turned 3 or when she thought he was ready. He was to be the next healer after Lux lost interest in learning about herbs. Friction had wanted nothing more then to make his mother proud, to follow in her paw steps and be the Vale's next big healer. All those dreams that would never come to light... He sighed softly, returning back to the present as she pulled her face away from his, shying away from his touch. A frown drew his brows together as words fell from her tongue mournfully. It was true, he had been an awful husband and and even worse father. After Liberty's birth he had been particularly scarce, the appearance of the founder of this pack at the birth had instilled too many concerns in his mind. She had moved away from him... Cairo had appeared and she had put space between them almost like she was ashamed of him. Would this pack always just see him as Aislyn's baby daddy? Was that all Aislyn saw him as? And then came the whopper of a question. Was this real? "Sometimes its almost too real..." he murmured, tipping his nose to bump hers tenderly. "I never want to have to be away from you again but Aislyn I can't stay in these lands for the rest of my life." he said softly, hoping she would understand. He didn't want to leave her but he wanted these chains gone, this weight that made him want to leave. He would have stayed with her forever even without promising to join Valhalla and never leaving the lands. But now it was that promise that terrified him, his inability to come and go as he pleased. He knew for a fact that if he had to ability to come and go his desire to leave would probably vanish... "I feel like a kid again when my mother always told me not to leave the cave, I would't leave because she told me not to but I wanted nothing more then to leave and adventure. Then once i was old enough and we were allowed I never ventured far from home" he said with a chuckle. He had always been a bit of a mixed up pup, but it seemed like he was still like that even as an adult. He would love to be able to bring his daughter to the lake and fish or to bring her to the place where he had met her mother. He took a step around her, coming to stand before the white female he had fallen so hard and so fast for. Those blue eyes of hers that their daughter had inherited were sorrowful and full of questions. He didn't want her to ever have to question this again, he didn't want her to worry about him not being there for her when she needed him. Whenever she called he would come to her, it was as simple as that. So maybe it was time to try this again... "Aislyn... I don't think you'll ever know how much I love you, but if I could spend the rest of my life trying to show you then I would be the happiest man alive. I want to be there for you for everything, I want to be a bigger part of this pack as well. I tried this once before and failed, we got kind of interrupted... But Ais... I would love if you would carry my sire name just as our daughter does." he said, words strong but slightly hesitant. What if she said no? He drew in a deep breath, trying to summon up the courage to ask what he really wanted to ask her. What he had wanted to ask her since they had met almost. But it had seemed too soon then. "Will you be my mate?" he finally asked, eyes holding her gaze as he waited for the answer that would make or break him. What would he even do if she said no?

She listened to him speak, but she didn't show much interest in the other things he was going on about. The only thing that really upset her was when he called the Valhalla healers "half-trained pups". Who in the hell did he think he was? Some herb god sent from some marvelous pack? His cockiness made her want to tear herself away from him and walk away, but she stood her ground, listening to him continue. When he spoke about his mother she only nodded, letting him know she was listening. If she was such an amazing healer, and supposedly so was he, why hadn't he healed himself then? And stopped his own sickness? She still chose to say nothing, just listen. Things got back to lovey dovey, and she couldn't help but let everything else slip away. He may be cocky and vanish all the time, but the fact of it was she love him, and didn't want to be with anyone else. He had stolen her heart and had kept it all this time, even through his random disappearances. What other male could she say that about? cairo... She pushed his name from her mind. No, Friction was her lover, not Cairo, and he never would be. She needed to realize that. His nose bumped hers, but she didn't pull away, nor did she embrace his touch. She seemed stuck in time, as if this moment had turned her to stone forever. She couldn't move. "Reality is the most breath taking part of life Friction." She murmured half-heartily, her ears folding as he went on about not being able to stay in Valhalla. Oh, so he wanted to leave? Then so be it. Her muscles burned as she pulled away from him and began walking away. She stopped a few feet away and turned around. She was sick of his touch, if he wanted to go explore then he could go explore; but he would be doing it alone. "You want to leave? Then go. This was merely a test of your loyalty to me, but if you're itching to leave then you may go; but I will stay here." The burning inside her had moved to the very pit of her stomach. For some reason his words had really hurt her, they had cut so deep she wasn't sure if the scar would be worth it. Was he tired of her? He said he never wanted to be away from her, yet he was so willingly to leave? Men were so confusing. "You already have a tendency of vanishing, why should I allow you to leave Valhalla? At least here I know you're safe, and that you're somewhere within my grasp when I can't find you. What if I always left without a trace for weeks, then came back expecting no repercussions? It's pathetic Friction. I want a husband who is there for me, always and forever." Her eyes held a very stern expression, but she couldn't hide the sadness she felt from this. Why did he want to leave? She just couldn't figure it out. He had everything he needed here, why leave? She rarely left, and she was happier than can be. It was then that he placed himself before her. At first she was confused, but as he began to speak, it was all too clear; he was asking for her hand. Her body seemed to freeze over as she just stared at him, her gaze and expression empty of all emotions. She had gone into shock. She honestly hadn't expected this, she had always assumed he merely wanted to be.. err.. boyfriend and girlfriend. But this? Marriage, official mates? He actually wanted that? It struck her harshly in the stomach to the point where she feared her lunch would come back up. She remained still for far too long, probably around a minute or so, just comprehending what had just happened. She needed to answer, but how? One second ago she was scolding him for wanting to leave, but now he was asking for her hand? She wasn't sure how she felt about this. She cleared her throat slowly, eyes casting down at his chest. She didn't want to completely look away, but his gaze was burning holes through her. "Friction.. I.." Her words were cut off suddenly. She honestly didn't know what to say. She wanted him forever, but then again, she needed someone who was always there for her and her family. Could he really be that man? "What the hell Friction, yes, yes!" She launched herself toward him, all the repercussions from her decision had left her mind. All she cared about was him, and that was all that mattered. If their love was true they could over come anything that came their way. She just knew it. Australian Accent Speech