Ardyn Adravendi

The tower had been built tall enough that the next floor was ready to be built. The big question was how. How were they going to put the floor in? He climbed the stairs that had been painstakingly built and stacked, and peered across the empty space, trying to envision a floor. Steadily, the High King traced with his eyes where the beams would lay. He was pretty sure the joists could be built into the stairs, but how would they get stairs to the next floor up? How were they going to get the beams in, for that matter? He was brought out of his reverie by familiar pawsteps below, and turned to pad down the stairs with a welcoming smile. “H’lo, Tel. How are you today?” _____________________________________________________________________ Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ----  "Hear" ---- Think

Make the days count She returned from neighboring lands with a goose in her jaws, and though she was much bigger than the bird, it had put up quite a fight. She thought they'd be easy to hunt, but boy was she wrong! Her fur was ruffled where she had been whacked with its wings, small patches yanked off from where it managed to grab her with its rough beak. She could be worse for wear, but she didn't mind ruffled and patchy fur. It was nothing compared to the time she had been completely naked without a hair in sight! Dropping her catch at the pack stores, she decided to head over to the tower that they'd been working on for some time. Surely Ardyn would be there working. To her delight, he was! She caught his scent strong and close, so the fae made her way closer to the tower until she heard the familiar jingle of his jewelry. He greeted her, and it brought an instant smile to her face. The pair had practically grown up together. Four years strong now, and she would be lying to herself if she said she didn't think he was special to her. "Hello, Ardyn! I am doing well, just got back from hunting in the Aviary. Are you working? Should I come back later?" "Speak"

Ardyn Adravendi

He mirrored her grin, offering a fiery wave of his long tail. He took a closer look and smirked as he dropped with a solid thump to the ground in front of her. “I’m working, but I always welcome company. I see you got a goose? Or it got you.” He reached up and plucked a ruffled feather out of her coat between her ears and teased the end of her nose with it as he added, “What do you think of the progress so far? I think we’re ready to put the beams in for the next floor, if we could just figure out how.” He nodded up at the empty air above them, eyes slanting to regard the glowing woman for her answer. Tel was one of his closest friends and confidantes. There was little she didn’t know about him, especially since they shared an alcove. The habit hadn’t ever really worn off even though she had her full coat back by now. Good thing, since winter would be upon them before they knew. _____________________________________________________________________ Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ----  "Hear" ---- Think

Make the days count... He jumped down to join her, questioning what she'd been up to before plucking a feather from her fur and tickling her with it. She laughed an airy, melodic laugh, tail wagging and the glow of her pelt causing her coat to shimmer. "It tried, but it did not succeed!" She winked before turning her attention to the structure. Pointed lynx ears stood high in thought, her head tilting as she studied where they were at so far in terms of the build. Building more than one floor was certainly tricky...but surely there was a way? "What about...something to get the heavier material up there? Perhaps building some sort of...system...that we can secure beams to, and we can lift it up there?" Her words were slow and littered with some confusion as she spoke, trying to put into words this makeshift pulley system she was imagining. She didn't know what the word or the name of this contraption she was thinking of was, but in her head, it made sense. "What I mean is...we, or even Taliesyn, attach to one end of a rope, secure it to a beam, and set it where we need it. Oh, but I don't know if we'll need something that will need to be on both sides...does Tal have any horse friends?" She wanted to help him as best she could. After all, they had grown closer than ever. Ever since the Long Night and the mysterious incident with her fur falling off, she had opted to remain in the alcove with him, with no question nor second-guessing about it. She enjoyed the comfort and warmth that he provided, and she found his presence...soothing. "Speak"

Ardyn Adravendi

He chuckled, nodding with approval at her report. It was good to see her so happy, especially having seen ger so down after all her fur fell off and left her bald. He listened to her suggestions, following her gestures and nodding in thought. “Good ideas.” He paused at her suggestion of a second horse, and whether Taliesyn knew anyone. “I’ll have to ask him. He did speak of having led herds in the past, but I get the feeling he doesn’t want to talk about his last harem. I guess the memories are pretty bad… I’ll ask him if he’d met anyone since then that could help.” He threw a foreleg over her shoulders in a comfortable, habitual hug of thanks for the suggestion as he added, “I bet he’s looking forward to the festival. How about you?” _____________________________________________________________________ Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ----  "Hear" ---- Think

You couldn't kill me if you tried She was glad that he liked her ideas. Or maybe he was just saying that to be nice...but then again, it was Ardyn. She doubted he would do that. They had practically grown up together, and she knew they could always be open and honest with one another. After all, he had seen her naked during her most vulnerable time. At this rate, there really was nothing she wasn't uncomfortable sharing with him. Her tail gave a good wag, the flash in her bodice turning it a stark white. "If I can figure out what it's called, I'll let you know. I'm sure we can draw up a plan once that's figured out...or find someone who already knows how to do it." Surely some sort of hominid might know? She made a mental note to head east in the coming days...surely she'd find one out that way that might have the knowledge of this contraption she was thinking about. At the mention of Tal, however, she frowned slightly. She was curious about him and his past, but she wasn't one to press things. It was his business, his history. Had she a history to tell prior to Valhalla, she doubted she'd have issue telling it. But considering she had no clue where she came from or what her roots were, the life she built within Valhalla was all she had. "Perhaps the nearby pack, Avalon, has resources. It may not hurt to ask," They had livestock, did they not? Surely they had horses? When he offered her a friendly hug of thanks, she couldn't help but softly laugh and gently leaned into his touch. Whether it was on purpose or subconsciously was undetermined, but she did quite enjoy his company. "I am looking forward to it! I am curious to meet our neighbors, I've not yet made an introduction nor have I met any of them, I don't think. That...Medusa...certainly sounds like an interesting one. And I feel perhaps we have some things in common with Avalon. What might you have planned?" "Speak"

Ardyn Adravendi

Ardyn nodded. “Drawing out the plans should be fun. Perhaps the Nomads know someone who can teach us. We’ll have to ask around at the festival.” Her suggestion of asking Avalon was received with a grin of agreement. “I’d imagine even if Corbie doesn’t have them, she’d be keen to find some. It’d be interesting if we could tame the bison here enough to haul loads… But it’d take catching the young, and by the time they’re old enough to leave their mums, they’re already so aggressive…” He chuckled, digits massaging absently as he remarked, “She happened to visit a few days ago and I was skinning out a deer, so I brought her the legs. I figured it’d be something she’d appreciate. It sounds like she’s planning some festivities as well, so it may be a busy next few seasons, between ours, Avalons, and Insomnia’s festivities.” So much planning. It was a lot, even with help. They were running late with their own festival, and he had to wonder if Corbie was having similar struggles with getting the festival they’d spoken of under way. Aside from his talks with her and Corvus, there’d been no word of the event actually getting under way. “There’ll definitely be hunting contests, individual and team. Perhaps whoever brings in the biggest prey, as a team, and the most small prey and a solo contestant. And naturally fighting tournaments and feasts. I’d love this to run a few days so everyone in the two continents has a chance to participate and enjoy themselves.” He tipped his head to regard her as he asked, ”And what have you in mind?” _____________________________________________________________________ Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ----  "Hear" ---- Think

You couldn't kill me if you tried She couldn't help the smile as she listened to him speak. Her head tipped slightly as she listened. There was so much to do, it seemed. She had never planned a festival, but evidently a lot more went into it than she thought. And apparently, the other two packs planned on holding their own festivals as well. She was curious about what their festivals would be like. And even more interested in Insomnias. From what she gathered, Medusa was very, very strange and so she assumed the rest of the pack might just as well be the same. It definitely sounded like a lot. Perhaps too much for him to bear alone, though he seemed able to handle it, she had a feeling it was a lot of weight on his shoulders. "That all sounds lovely! I was thinking perhaps some races, a storytelling contest...a few games for young ones should there be any in attendance. I have some other ideas, but there's so much going into it already, I feel that maybe too much might overwhelm our guests." She looked at him then, her smile turning into a slight frown. "And you, Ardyn? Are you overwhelmed? I'd like to help you where I can." She left the question open ended. If he needed help with he festival, getting things together, whatever he needed regardless of if it was festival related or not, she wanted him to know that she was here for him and willing to help where she could. "Speak"

Ardyn Adravendi

He listened with interest to her ideas, nodding slowly as he considered them, a smile tugging at his features in flickers of flame. “We can always reinstate seasonal festivals. Or perhaps bi-annual.” He paused as her smile shifted to a frown, and her query gave him a beat. Was he? Well… “Yes. I am.” Ardyn looked away, peering across what would be a room someday, lit on one side with a fireplace like his mother had described seeing in the castle in Auster when she and his father had gone there. “There… are many times where I feel as though I am the only one working to keep the pack going. And maybe that I am among the very few who would care if it fails. I know it must be some failing of mine that they aren’t motivated to even form lasting bonds with each other.” His paw that supported his weight on the ground flexed, claws unsheathing with a soft scrape in the dirt. “But sometimes, it’s very hard not to be resentful. I shouldn’t be, but… I suppose feelings aren’t all that rational at times. My own brother doesn’t even seem invested since his return. I’ve barely seen him… I’d—I’d hoped that maybe he and I could be the pack’s leaders. But perhaps that’s no longer his desire.”” _____________________________________________________________________ Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ----  "Hear" ---- Think

You couldn't kill me if you tried Her suspicions were met with Ardyn's truth. He was overwhelmed. Tired. He felt all sorts of things that she wished she could help him with. She listened quietly, ears folding back a bit as he spoke. She didn't know how much he'd been feeling. How much he'd been harboring. Though his words did hold truth in them. Valhalla had become significantly quiet, and although she did see their packmates here and there, tending to their basic duties, she realized that she too, felt like she was living among strangers. Sure she knew their names and their faces, but beyond a select few, she hardly knew a thing about those she lived with. She didn't feel like it was his fault, however. Despite his feeling that. She tried to help where she could, but she had to admit, it was exhausting sometimes. Gently she pressed her head into the thick fur on his neck, gazing up as she sighed. "I am sorry that you feel so much weight on you, Ardyn. And I wish there was something I could do to help ease that. I do not believe that you have failed. I don't know what it is...perhaps there is a lack of...something else for them. A lack of something to look forward to? I'm not sure. But you've done well in keeping Valhalla alive, even if it feels otherwise." As for the family part? She wasn't sure what to say regarding that, so she let him vent, and she did her best to offer him comfort. "Speak"

Ardyn Adravendi

He listened, hugging lightly in appreciation of her words. He wasn’t entirely sure she was right, but he was grateful she felt that way. “I need help, think. It’s hard to be motivated.” He chuckled ruefully. “I keep hoping that the raids we’ve fended off, or the festival planning will entice them, but eh.” His eyes lifted to the still-visible sky above and he sighed. “It’s been so short a time since I became king, and sometimes it feels an eternity. I can see why mother enjoys her retirement so much. She was so tired, especially after the long night and so many wolves being sick.” He could still remember the feer of those nights, when the sickness had him in its claws. Tel had had it worse, though. Many had. _____________________________________________________________________ Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ----  "Hear" ---- Think