ooc;; starts in veronica plains, he goes to druids moor and wolf paw lake then he goes to veronica plains to pick up eria, I'll have the thread moved to wolf paw lake when he takes her there :) -boom- He had left with the children late in the afternoon, telling Eria that he was going to take them adventuring so she could have some time to herself. He knew she was struggling with the attachment their son was having to her and their daughter was a bit of a handful at the best of times she he hadn't taken no for an answer and had set off with the kids. The monochrome male had cut towards the delta fairly quickly and towards Erani's den, shooing the children along with him and entertaining them with stories he had grown up with when they started to complain. It seemed all so simple and easy, a normal every day walk with the kids now that they were almost four months old and getting so big. But as they approached Erani's den Friction would give barely any explanation to the kids as he left them with the white healer who had been their for their birth and now was the leader of their pack. He had spoken to her a few days ago and told her of his intentions and promised it would only be over night. He hadn't spent time alone with Eria in what felt like forever and he needed to be with her. So with a dip of his head and a gentle kiss on the head to Erion and Isis he would turn and start off towards the meadow. It was later in the afternoon, the sun was beating down heavily and it wasn't long before tongue was lolling out over jaws to alleviate some of the heat building in his body. It was one of the downsides to living in the plains, there was barely any shade. But where he was going today there would be plenty. Long legs waisted no time eating up the miles, he knew what he was looking for and where it was growing. Eventually mist began to circle around his limbs, scratching and clawing ups grey legs as he slowed and approached his target carefully. Rose bushes? The wild roses were small and delicate, a budding pink in colour and in his mind absolutely perfect. But around them tangles of turns and brambles surrounded them. Worth it. Slowly he would reach in, feeling the prickles along his face and nose and the occasional stab of pain as they bit into his flesh and drew droplets of blood. But painstakingly he began to collect the roses, plucking each one and dropping them on the ground before his paws. He made sure there was a bit of a stem on them so he could carry them to where he wanted to go. This wasn't exactly the most romantic scene. So he took his time, trying not too cut himself up too much and finding the happy medium between remaining looking his best and getting enough flowers for his plans. Finally, after what seemed like forever but what was probably only half an hour, he dropped the last of the roses and then pawed them together so they lay together in a cluster before reaching down to gather them delicately in his mouth. Once again he tried not to break the skin in his mouth. As if following a path he had taken a million times he turned, breaking into an easy lope and hoping that time would be on his side this day. He couldn't help but casting his gaze skyward every few minutes as he ran to check the suns position in the sky. The brute knew he needed to get back to Eria just before sunset if he wanted everything to be perfect. Though as he approached the lake he realized that at any time of day this would be perfect. The sun was glittering beautifully off the water and casting reflections every which way. But Friction didn't take the time to admire the site, instead moved around the shores to a bed of moss and leaves he had been working on for the past few days with the kids and alone. Really whenever he could slip away he had come here to work on it. Haunches collected beneath him as he sprung over it and faced the way of Veronica Plains. He turned quickly, lowering his head close to the ground and began shaking viperously and backing up. Slowly but surely a path of rose petals would begin to cascade to the ground, precious pink petals settling easily so there were a few feet of this leading up to the moss bed on the shore he had made. After every single petal had fallen from the roses he would cast the vile stems to the side and take a few steps back to admire his handy work. It was good. But was it good enough for her? Shoulder slumped slightly as a wave of doubt once again crashed over him. What if she didn't like it? What if she didn't want to be with him? Ears folded to his skull and slowly he turned, staring once more at a lope towards the plains again, leaning down occasionally to pick any blue wild flower he might find in his path. He could't think about those things now, as much as he was worried there was also hope blossoming in his chest and a bit of pride that he had managed to so far pull this off without her suspecting anything as far as he knew. By the time he reached their den he had a fairly large bouquet gathered in his jaws, all varying shades of blue. Softly he would let out a muffled bark, hoping she was in the immediate area but not wanting to go into the den just yet. Haunched would curl and lower to the ground, tail beating a steady happy tune against the ground as blue eyes searched the darkness of their den for her as well as the plains around them just in case she had gone for a walk. He didn't care how long he had to wait for her, he would wait.

Friction had been right when it came to giving Eria space. Even though she loved her pups with every fiber of her being, the black female needed some time for herself. She had left the den shortly after Friction and the kids had departed, only because she was so used to the sounds of relaxed breathing and occasional puppy grunts during the night. After shaking sleep free from her pelt, she made her way towards the furthest parts of Valhalla's territory. As she walked through the unoccupied forest, Eria had time to think. She wondered if where she was in life at that point was the right place. Her life wasn't really going anywhere since the fall apart of Glaciem, for she had been endlessly wandering across the vast continent with no end in sight. A lonely wanderer, who hadn't any ties to anyone in any of the four corners of the globe. Eria had been on a smooth constant with no horizons in sight for so long, it felt weird to have more of a purpose again. What was the purpose? Instead of one, she now had three. First, it had been the man she was currently denning with: Friction Sovari. The multi-hued male with the calming eyes had taken her for a wonderful night of passion and dreams that, at the time, didn't seem like they would come true. After they parted ways, however, she found out she was pregnant and her mind was terrorized with fear. Being a single mother -- and a rogue at that -- were enough to make her freak out and want to curl into a ball. But, she had come across Friction again by the strangest chance and her fears subsided. He had wanted her to give birth in a safe environment and the safest to him was Valhalla. It was there that Eria went to give birth to their children. Now, as she began to reflect on the night of pain and fear, she remembered Friction being beside her through it all. Erani, now the leader of the "new" Valhalla, had been there to help her with the deliveries of her two babies. It wasn't a big blowout for the woman to have the pups, but Eria preferred it that way. Comfort and warmth had surrounded her and her little family after both pups were safely delivered. Nostalgia hit her and she looked down at the dark earth in front of her. It was crazy how it all panned out in the end. By the time the afternoon had come upon the lands, Eria had returned to her den. After thinking of how her lifestyle was with Friction -- not being married, nor being single, either -- she had come to the conclusion that she would be content with having him beside her, regardless of marital status. Her body had relaxed into the darker, shady areas of the den when sleep took over her mind. Her babies were growing so fast, but she didn't mind it. She preferred to see them grow rather than keep them at a certain age forever. Sleep was something she hadn't felt in awhile and she took advantage of being alone for it. When Friction returned to the plains, his scent and the muffled bark announced his presence. Slowly, she was pulled from her slumber, but it was about time to get up anyway. A quick yawn, blinking of her blue eyes, and ginger movements took her from the darkness of their den. Upon stepping outside, she noted that the light of the day was almost gone and she blinked in surprise. Had she been asleep for that long? The surprise faded when her gaze met Friction's and happiness and warmth replaced it. "Friction," she greeted with her eyes twinkling. Her nose found his neck and she freely nuzzled him with an affectionate lick given to his cheek. "Where have you been? I have missed you..." Speech

He sat easily at first. He simply held the flowers loosely in his jaws and allowed his eyes to continue roaming the landscape, though muscles in forelegs began to tense and fidget the longer he waited. Was she hurt? Had she left? Tonight was such a big night for him that it seemed only the worst case scenarios were running through his mind and anxiety was hard to push away. But at the same time the sun was just beginning to touch the horizon and it was hard to stress at a time like this. As long as she arrived in the next half hour he would have more then enough time to get everything done before it was completely dark. So after another moment of dragging claws through the ground he took a deep breath and shook his shoulder a bit to release some of the tension that had been building there. She would be there in her own good time. He had to keep telling himself that. Until then he would have to just relax and enjoy the sunset by himself. So slowly eyes would turn towards the massive ball of fire that was the bane of his existence during the day but was now one of the most beautiful sights he had ever seen in nature. Funny how he could hate the heat so much and yet enjoyed the sight of sunrises and sunsets so much. Though dawn and dusk would forever be his favourite time of day. it was the time of day he was hoping to share with the love of his life. Though despite his anxiety and the seemingly long wait he was probably only outside the den for maybe 2 minutes before Eria's sleepy and slightly disheveled form slid out from there home. Instantly it seemed that all the tension was released from his form, shoulder slumping and eyes locking on her form. She was his everything, there was nothing else beyond her to look at after all. Though he was happy to have a second try at fatherhood he would have been just as happy to spend the rest of his life with her. So as she slipped towards him, words drifting from her tongue and trickling towards him like the most tantalizing sounds, he would stand. Not speaking just yet in a mixture of pure awe at her presence and a mixture of not wanting to drop the flowers he had picked for her. So as she nestled into his neck and placed a gentle lick on his cheek he allowed his neck to curl over the back of hers and and give her a squeeze. For a moment he stood there, just drinking in her scent but he knew he was on a timeline and after a moment he would step back and dip his head to place the bundle of flowers beside her and near the entrance of their den so they could stay there and she could have them for at least a few days before they wilted. But even as he placed them he didn't speak quite yet, a smile growing over his maw and eyes twinkling with mischief. "Here and there," he said easily, shoulders lifting in a lazy shrug as if there had never been any tension there. "I left the kids with Erani for the night so we could spend some time together. I brought you flowers. I tried to match the colour of your eyes but they kind of all pale in comparison now that I see them side by side?" He said slowly, eyes drifting slowly to the flowers for a moment before returning to her. It was a small technicality and he hoped his other presents would measure up better. With a deep breath he tried to still his nerves once more and moved to Eria's side, pressing his nose to her neck just above her shoulder and giving her and affectionate nibble. "Come on, lets take a walk. Valhalla has expanded its territories and we have a night off. Lets explore!" Between the excitement and nervousness running through him it was hard to keep his voice level and even. But he tried his best, also trying to keep an, what he hoped to be, easy smile on his lips. The smile wasn't hard but it was hard to keep it from turning goofy or strained. Hopefully once they started walking he would be able to keep his mind on other things rather then forcing a normal smile when this was a far from normal night.

The flowers that he had brought caught her eyes and she gave a soft gasp. They resembled the many blues that were in nature and she felt as if they had been pulled into one bundle of beauty. She blinked a couple of times and lowered her nose to breath in their scents. What she inhaled was a lovely combination of the aromas that still clung to the picked flowers. The combo made her heart beat a bit faster from the action and she raised her head to look at her lover. "They look and smell wonderful, Friction. I hope they last for a few days, at least." Considering how the weather had turned hotter the past week or two, it was a hope that would race against time. Her beloved spoke of how the children were being watched by Erani and that they had the night off. Friction also invited her for a walk across the new lands and she gave a firm nod. "You're right, my dear. Let's use the time wisely and make sure that tonight never ends." Her smile had widened and white teeth were gleaming at the tips of her lips. She was more than ready to be alone with him, especially since she had been wrapped up with their babies since the night of their births. As they started to walk away from the den, Eria shook out her fur again and let the wind streak through it. She enjoyed the cool night breezes whenever she was out, especially since it felt so nice against her usually covered skin. She took her time and looked up at the sky that was changing colors of various oranges, pinks, and purples. As her eyes scanned the world above her, she felt a bit curious as to what her lover had in store for her. "Where are we going, m'dear? Anywhere in particular? I know that Erani claimed at least three different territories, but I don't know which ones by heart." Speech

She noticed the flowers, loved them even and the soft gasp that escaped her velvet lips eased much of his anxiety. He couldn't help but let his smile turn a bit goofy as she commented on hoping that they might last a few days at least. A bit of a chuckle escaped his lips and he shook his head. "If they can't take the heat I'll bring you flowers every day if it would make you happy." He said softly, head tipping and smile returning to a more natural state. If it was flowers that she wanted he would make sure there were fresh flowers for her every morning, anything to see that twinkle in her eye and hear that little gasp of excitement when he caught her by surprise. It didn't happen much anymore, with children it was hard to find time for them but he wanted to find more time. He wanted to be alone with her more and now that Valhalla had moved back in there was no shortage of babysitters. And their son's odd attraction to Eria and Isis's odd obsession with hanging off ears meant Friction was fine with dumping them on just about any pack member. Erani would always be his first choice but she was their alpha now and he understood she didn't always have time. Make sure tonight never ends? Her words echoed in his mind and for a moment he closed his eyes and drew in a breath. There had been a few nights he had shared with her that he wished had never ended. But unlike those nights he didn't want to screw this one up. He wanted her to have a perfect night, perfect just like her. He owed her so much, she had picked him up from a dark place after his last mate had died and after his daughter had been stolen away by a different pack. She had given him a third try at a happy ending and this time it seemed to be going smoothly. Though he had loved his first wife and wanted to say he had loved his second none of it compared to the way his heart fluttered whenever she even looked his way. "Yes, lets make sure?" he replied easily, chuckling softly before starting off at an easy walk. He kept a bit ahead, leading their path as subtly as possible. She mused about what they were going to do and she asked about the lands Erani had claimed for their new pack. Head tipped and he pondered the question for a moment. "Here, Druid's Moor, Wolfpaw Lake and Whisper's Gorge. I've been to Druid's Moor a lot, I've never seen so many herbs in my life! I haven't been to the gorge yet but the lake is a perfect place to cool of in the summer heat, I figured we might head there?" Though the statement ended as a question there was a twinkle in his eye that hinted that she really didn't had a say in the matter. She didn't know many of the territories? "You know your welcome to drop the kids on me and tell me you want to go out on your own right? Its fun to explore sometimes, to destress?" He mused, wondering why she hadn't snapped at him yet having been cooped up with the kids for so long. He had tried to take the kids and take them adventuring as much as possible but even then there was only so long he could be gone before ethe kids started to complain about needing a nap. He kept his stride longer, setting a quick pace compared to his usual lea surly pace but he tried to cover the urgency in his step with casual conversation. It wasn't long before the scent of the water became more dominant and he hopped forward to cut her off in his path so they were standing nose to nose. "Okay close your eyes and wait here." he stated before turning and starting towards the shore. It was just two steps before he paused and turned to cast a gaze over his shoulder, "And don't peak!" He called in a cheerful but slightly anxious voice. This was it. Everything he and Odette had worked for. He walked around the tree he had chosen to block their view of the rose petal walkway he had made and the moss nest he had built. From beneath the roots he would draw out four crisp blue feathers. Two large flight feathers and two soft downy ones. He thought it was symbolize everything perfectly. He hadn't wanted a wind to come up and take them away while he was doing other things so he had hid them. Now he placed them perfectly in the middle of the moss nest. With the two larger ones facing down and the two soft ones on top. One last look was cast over the scene before he padded back to Eria. "Okay, open your eyes and come with me." He said softly, nuzzling into her neck once more before walking around the tree and down the rose petal path. He didn't look behind him to see her reaction, he couldn't look at her for fear of loosing his courage. So as he stepped on the moss he would turn to sit with the feathers before him between his forepaws. Once last shuddering breath would be drawn before he finally gathered whatever it was that he needed within himself to look at her. And then it would all come out in a gush. "Eria, I love you. I've loved you since the first night I met you. I honestly don't know what i would have done if I hadn't met you and I will never forgive myself for leaving you that first night like I did. But. If you would let me, I would like to spend the rest of my life making it up to you." Another breath would be drawn as he studied her expression, searching for any hint that she might like what she was hearing and want him to continue. "Eria, would you do me the honour of being my wife?" He finally mustered up the courage to ask.

Friction's voice formed in the names of the territories and they met Eria's gleefully waiting ears. She recorded the names in her mind and put them away for later, intending to explore them when she had another chance. Her sweetheart spoke of it not being a problem to have the kids while she had the opportunity to visit each place. It was a sweet gesture, but one that she couldn't take advantage of. She loved the man too much. "I know I could, but I would feel bad for doing so," she explained. "Besides, I don't think I would feel too comfortable leaving the Plains to explore more without you by my side. I don't mind being alone, Friction, but honestly, I want you to be there when I see more of the world." Her phobia of dark wolves she didn't know was slowly creeping back into her thoughts, but the company she kept -- mainly the pups and Friction -- had kept her from thinking of the past. It was something she didn't tell to many people. They continued to walk towards the destination Friction had already chosen ahead of time. Something was up his sleeve, but Eria knew better than to inquire what he was planning. So, she remained lost in thought until they reached a spot where Friction stopped. Her nose bumped into his and she wiggled it from the result of his weight being pushed by the sudden movement. She blinked blankly as he told her to close her eyes and wait. An impatient snort was given, but she did as she was told. She trusted the man, after all. Finally, after what felt like forever, Friction came back and told her to open her eyes. Slowly, she let her lids rise and she began to follow him once again. The walk was not very long, and what she saw next made her eyes widen in surprise. Rose petals lined a path to a darkened spot near the lake, becoming brighter as the last rays of the dying sun simmered in the sky. She followed the rose petals, trying to keep the image burned in her mind for as long as it would stay. The path finally ended and at its end was a nest made of soft moss. She raised her eyes to watch Friction, who had padded around to the other side of the nest and reclined to his haunches. "Friction, what..." But her words were lost when she saw the feathers daintily laying in the middle of the nest and in front of Friction's paws. She looked at them with a curious gaze and slowly looked up at Friction as he started to pour his heart out to her. Words of undying love since that first night and how he wanted to make sure that she wouldn't want for anything in regards to him being there for the rest of their days....It was all too much. What was the icing on the cake was when he asked the question she thought she would never hear: 'Eria, would you do me the honour of being my wife?' Her heart stopped for a second and in that second she slowly blinked as her mind tried to catch up to the moment. Eria then began to smile and she felt her body moving in unison with her brain cells. Excitement, love, and warmth spread through her limbs and a high-pitched squeal escaped her lips. "Ohhhhh, Friction....Friction, Friction, Friction!" She took the necessary steps towards him, safely avoiding stepping on the feathers, and licked his cheeks, lips, nose, and forehead over and over. Eria then pulled back and said in a hushed whisper, "Yes, Friction Sovari. I will do the honor of being your wife. Now and forever, m'love. That will never change." Speech

He couldn't help the goofy almost boyish smile that spread across his lips as she told him that she wasn't very interested in adventuring without him. He wanted to see more of the world with her too, maybe once the kids were younger and well situated. There was nothing he wanted more then to see the world with her, to take her everywhere and see everything together. One day. One day they would have to be mom and dad anymore. One day they could just be together forever maybe by themselves, maybe with a pack. Honestly he would be happy to be a rouge again once the kids were old enough to make their own decisions. But all that was yet to happen, things that were far in the future and they had nothing but time to get there. She complied, those beautiful blue eyes he loved so much sliding closed and for a moment he stood and stared at her features, locking them away in his mind forever in a way he had never done with the two women of his life before. But with her he never wanted to forget her face, her eyes, her little mannerisms and habits that he had grown to love to much. So it was almost with a disappointed look that he would leave to set everything up. Luckily when he returned she was still in the same position that he had left her in. He wanted to talk to her, after he got all of this anxiety and stress out of the way there was so much he didn't really know about he and he wanted to know everything. As he sat, watching the slightest emotions play on her beautiful features. It was only a moment of hesitation but it felt like a lifetime to him as he held his breath for her response. He had wished someone would have prepared him for this because honestly the longest pause he would ever experience in his life would be that moment, In that moment every response went through his mind. He imagined her laughing at him, her walking away, her getting angry. But he was lucky and eventually the single greatest word slipped from her lips. Yes. But not before repeating his name over a few times and closing the distance between them. And then she was smoothing him in kisses and he was returning the affection. He was on his paws all of a sudden, tail slapping at his flanks he was so excited and it was moving so fast. "I'm so sorry for not asking sooner." He exclaimed, running his head along her neck and chin, nibbling on her shoulders, ears, nose every so often before sitting once more and motioning for her to do the same while he tried to steady his breathing and relax himself. She had said yes, now he just had to explain the feathers. Would they be too much? Would she even like them? "I spent a few weeks planning this. Odette and I went to Dove Island to hunt bird. I wanted to find a blue one like your eyes. I got two larger feathers to symbol us and the two smaller ones for the kids?." He trailed off for a moment, almost bashfully. "I know its kinda cheesy but would you wear them for me?" He asked, feeling like a school boy all over again as his tail waved gently behind him, light blue eyes watching her hopefully. Would she like them?

His request wasn't cheesy in the slightest, in her opinion. She reacted by giving him a gentle nuzzle to his cheek and neck before pulling back to watch him. "Yes, Friction. I would love to wear them for you. They are so beautiful..." She lowered her gaze to the feathers that were delicately laying on the moss nest between them. The light seemed to catch them and show off the lighter strands and she sighed happily. "I can't wait to wear them and have people ask what they stand for." ooc: Sorry, Di! Muse was shot at the moment. >< Speech