They were probably overdue another date. To be fair he'd had his paws full what with running away from home and all. Not to mention trying to figure out things with Andy and Charlie and doing his best to check in semi-regularly with Kite to make sure her leg was healing properly. He still wasn't totally sure where he stood with any of them. Kite was just so angry and trying to get his other siblings to understand why a line had been crossed that he could never accept was... Hard.

But he couldn't hover around aimlessly forever. He had no idea what Kite's plan was and if she'd even tolerate him being there, even with his pain management and healing abilities.

He missed Triss. He just wanted the simplicity of being around her. And maybe he owed it to her to finally commit. To say he would follow her... But he wasn't sure he could promise he'd not want to pick up the pieces his sister seemed likely to leave behind her. She was the only sibling he had left that had dealt with what they'd gone through at such a young age... He didn't want to lose the only sister he had left that knew the trauma they'd endured. Who shared it.

Crux sighed and shook his head, pacing as he tried his best to get his thoughts figured out. First things first he needed a better place to hunker down with Stratum than a random cave he'd found. He'd always known he was better off with a pack, a support structure but that left him with few enough options. For all his conflicting feelings about his family right now he wasn't about to rock the boat and stir up trouble for them... And he wasn't sure he could face his dad right now so that really limited his options. He sighed again and continued to pace, ignoring the soft ache in his hip that was trying to warn him he was overdoing it.

He'd come here to try and puzzle things out on his own without Stratum or their companions to distract him. Maybe he was also secretly hoping he'd bump into the little woman that had stolen his heart but he wanted to get his plan sorted or at least more sorted before he called for her. Nothing ever worked out quite the way he planned.

"Crux" & "Triss"

Updated 04/30/23: Still on indefinite scarcity, please do not remind me of threads I am behind on right now.

Crux has a 6 inch long burn scar on his throat, most of his art does not reflect this.

It was a little harder to track down Crux now that he wasn’t in the Armada. She was just thinking about how she planned to go about doing so when she caught sight of him out by Waterfall peak. She grinned as she trotted through the well familiar territory. She started out moving and a decent pace, but slowed down as she got closer. Hunkering down in the long grass as she watched him turn and pass.

He looked like he had heavy thoughts on his mind. Her tail flicked behind her like a cat as she zeroed in on her prey. Stalking closer, and closer. Her tiny form was well suited to hiding in the grass.

She was almost there now. She kept her breathing as slow as she could manage, knowing any hint of a cough would immediately ruin the game. Creeping a little closer, a little closer… and there! She leaped out of the grass with a cat-like roar and attempted to jump on his pacing back.

"Cryptis"

Cryptis' size certainly gave her the advantage when it came to stealth. Something Crux would never have, not just because of his size but also the awkward gait he'd always have. The one thing he did have, normally, was observational skills. Normally. Maybe less so right now as he continued to think in circles, unaware of the wolf stalking ever closer to him.

He frowned, scrunching up his brow and trying to untangle the knot of thoughts on his mind, totally in the dark about Cryptis' approach until the last moment. Her roar sounded and faster than he could spin around her weight was thrown onto his back. It all happened so fast that he hadn't quite processed it all yet. Instincts kicking in faster as the minimal combat training he'd ever experienced seemed to manifest in him as he dropped to the ground, ready to roll over onto his attacker when the familiar voice and small size finally seemed to click and he just barely stopped himself from flattening her under his weight.

Still his heart was beating, the blood pounding in his ears as he forced himself to roll back onto his stomach. "Triss?" He managed, trying to glance over his shoulder to spot her, unsure if she'd fallen in the chaos or was still clinging on for dear life. He was panting trying to work the adrenaline from his body. "Sorry you- You startled me." Maybe he was more on edge than normal. Even still he couldn't help the way his tail started to wag, just the thought of her was enough to bring a dumb grin to his face. He had it bad for her.

"Crux" & "Triss"

Updated 04/30/23: Still on indefinite scarcity, please do not remind me of threads I am behind on right now.

Crux has a 6 inch long burn scar on his throat, most of his art does not reflect this.

Her attack started him a lot more than she had expected it to. Surely some part of him had to be expecting her. He was in their territory after all. The spot they had first met, and so often reconnected. 


Her prey dropped and started to turn before he finally seemed to realise what had happened. She crawled properly onto his back, and gave him a sheepish expression. She caught the rasp in his breath, and realised just how badly she had frightened him. Her tail dropped. “Crux I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you.” She said, crawling over him until she could drop down against his side near his head. She batted her head against the underside of his chin. “I missed you…” She told him softly. She had so much to tell him!

Really if he hadn't been so stressed about what his plan was, and maybe just a little less nervous that his nephew could still just find him and drag him back, he probably never would have reacted as he did. Crux was glad he'd caught himself on time but certainly wasn't happy with the way Triss seemed to deflate. He let her climb over him to settle near his head before adjusting himself.

"I missed you too." He gently returned her affection by playfully poking at the top of her head with his nose. "And don't worry about it. I'm just a little twitchy right now." He wanted to reassure her, at least about her own actions. He brought a forepaw in to hug her, careful not to press to hard but wanting so badly to just push his whole face into her form.

"What have you been up to?" Really Crux wanted to keep the topic off himself, at least for now. Maybe she'd have something to share that could make his predicament... Easier?

"Crux" & "Triss"

Updated 04/30/23: Still on indefinite scarcity, please do not remind me of threads I am behind on right now.

Crux has a 6 inch long burn scar on his throat, most of his art does not reflect this.

She kissed his nose as he poked her with it, and placed both her paws on either side of his face, looking up at his familiar features. maybe it was the so frequent time apart… but she didn't think so. She just loved him so much that it was hard to know what to do with all the emotions that boiled over her as she looked at him.


She kissed him again, this time on the lips. Narrowing her eyes in what she could only hope was a seductive look.”I could get your mind off whatever bothering you…” she suggested, and maybe would have tried a little harder to seduce him but her news suddenly bubbled free. “But first I need to tell you what's been happening… My mum won a pack! I'm leaving insomnia. I almost can't believe it.” Widow was family, insomnia was family. But she was excited for her mum, too.

Triss' kisses were like magic and he felt his body light up wherever she planted them. It was a much stronger reaction than before, maybe their night together had left a stronger impression than he'd first realized. Because he knew now didn't he? He knew her in a way he hadn't before.

It was wild, the way her simple words, the way she looked at him made him feel like his whole body was on fire. He didn't quite manage to stop the low half moan half growl her suggestion had caused. Pressing himself even closer to her but holding himself back. At least for now. He knew there was much he had to say and it seemed he was not the only one.

And somehow, Cryptis seemed to save him. Again. All at once the thoughts of what he wanted, what he was struggling to balance seemed to melt away. Crux knew what he wanted, knew what he would do. He'd find a way to talk to Stratum about it. He'd let his sister know where he was going if she ever needed him...

"Do you-" His voice caught and he searched Triss' face earnestly. "Do you think your mother would let me join?" He felt small then... Weak. He knew who he was, what he was. What Crux offered was a healer yes, one who wasn't yet fully trained but wasn't useless at least, but he also brought with him a wolf who'd always struggle to move, who'd always struggle to defend himself, his family, his pack. Who was unlikely to be able to ever fully hunt for himself. He knew many would look at him and see only a burden. He wanted to hope that being Cryptis' mother would mean that was less likely but he also figured it would be easy enough for a parent to justify acceptance for their own children but not for anyone else.

"Crux" & "Triss"

Updated 04/30/23: Still on indefinite scarcity, please do not remind me of threads I am behind on right now.

Crux has a 6 inch long burn scar on his throat, most of his art does not reflect this.

Admittedly, the sound that Crux made threatened to completely derail her chain of thought. But she managed - just - to reign it in and concentrate on what she needed to. She was glad she did, because Crux’s next words derailed her all over again. Her eyes widened and a slow grin spread across her maw. “Yes, of course she would, with open arms!” Triss said, not doubting for a moment that Widow would allow him to join. He mattered to Triss, and Triss mattered to Widow. Just as Widow mattered to Triss… it was all just a big circle really.

Her expression was a mix of hope and wonder. She’d never allowed herself to open up to anyone but her mother the way she did with Crux. Even then, Crux perhaps saw a deeper part of herself. She wanted for so long now for her and Crux to find a way to live together. Moving in with her mothers pack… that would do it. “She’s thinking of taking Wraiths Woods in Auster, if you do decide.” She said, almost wearily. What if he changed his mind?


"Cryptis"