keep me close, keep me warm
04-26-2014, 06:57 PM
an empire's fall
He had spent enough time healing that he was going stir crazy. Altavro's wounds were almost entirely healed, but they still itched like none other. Still, he was doing better. He wasn't delirious, he wasn't hallucinating angels wherever he looked or anything like that. Which had, in turn, meant that it was time for Altavro to seek out the wolf that he had promised to help. He had been invalid for long enough that he was worried about her; was she doing all right? Had she grown lost in his absence and fallen apart? It was a foreign thing for Altavro to worry so much over another wolf, but gods above he was worried about her. She was going to get better if that was the last thing that he did.
And so Altavro wasted little time wandering from Valhallan territory; almost as soon as he was well enough to walk, he was heading for the edge of Valhalla's lands and enough beyond that they would not be trespassing. Erani was forgiving, Altavro knew, but perhaps she wouldn't appreciate the appearance of a stranger on her lands. As soon as he had voyaged past the edge of their lands and had carefully settled down, more tired than he should have been, Altavro cocked his head back and let loose a howl, calling for Albatross.
As soon as his jaws clicked shut, Altavro settled in for the impatient waiting.
He needed to know if she was doing all right. It was a strangely important thing to him, her being okay, for reasons he didn't entirely understand.
"Speech"
And so Altavro wasted little time wandering from Valhallan territory; almost as soon as he was well enough to walk, he was heading for the edge of Valhalla's lands and enough beyond that they would not be trespassing. Erani was forgiving, Altavro knew, but perhaps she wouldn't appreciate the appearance of a stranger on her lands. As soon as he had voyaged past the edge of their lands and had carefully settled down, more tired than he should have been, Altavro cocked his head back and let loose a howl, calling for Albatross.
As soon as his jaws clicked shut, Altavro settled in for the impatient waiting.
He needed to know if she was doing all right. It was a strangely important thing to him, her being okay, for reasons he didn't entirely understand.
"Speech"
in just one day
04-26-2014, 08:40 PM
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04-27-2014, 05:59 PM
an empire's fall
At the appearance of Albatross, Altavro felt as if a weight had lifted from his chest. He watched her raced approach, surveying her body to examine her for injuries. He saw nothing physical, but that wasn't a sure promise when it was Albatross. She had likely been suffering while he was half-delirious and crazy and damn did that knowledge feel bad. Altavro should have taken care of himself before he practically went crazy so that she had not been alone. Next time, he would not make that mistake. If there was a next time - he certainly hoped there wouldn't be. Never again would he desire to leave the wolf that he had promised to look after.
They almost fell when she collided with his legs, but Altavro pressed his muzzle against his fur, nuzzling her and sniffling her and occasionally offering her a swift, careful lick. The wolf pressed himself against her, still checking her body for injuries, for any signs of wear that had not been there before. "I'm sorry..." The whispered apology escaped him so quickly that he didn't have time to think. "I was injured and I waited too long to get it taken care of and then I was . . . indisposed. I won't leave you like that again." It was not a promise that he made lightly. Albatross had grown on him so quickly that he wasn't sure what had happened - or why it had happened. But he wasn't grumpy with her. She drew something out in him, a kindness that was rare and unheard of in most cases, but Albatross made him a better wolf. And he cared about her.
It was weird. But he didn't mind. She was one of the first that he had found himself close to since he left the Nomads so long ago.
"Speech"
in just one day
04-27-2014, 08:26 PM
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04-28-2014, 08:35 AM
an empire's fall
The growl startled him at first, but Altavro realized quickly that it had not been directed at him and he bit back a fond smile - another strange thing for him. To be so friendly with another was a foreign thing for Altavro, and their relationship was far from typical at any rate. It was going to involve a lot of guesswork on his part, but her blind faith in him made Altavro think that maybe, just maybe, things would work out in their favor. The gods would smile upon them and things would be okay and she would be okay. That was really what he wanted. He wanted for Albatross to be all right. But that was not going to be some quick fix.
Her voice was what drew him back to the present, grounding him in that moment with her tangled at his paws, seemingly overjoyed at the sight of him. The nickname made a flicker of a smile cross his maw as Altavro formed a careful to her words. "We can go wherever you want to go, you know." He murmured the words, maw close enough to her ear that there was no point in raising his voice. Altavro had made a commitment and he was not going to let her down now.
The golden male twitched his tail just slightly, happier in her company than he really knew how to explain. "I'm sorry that you suffered while I was gone..." There wasn't really any way to make up for that - he had been too proud to ask for assistance when he needed it, and she had been the one to suffer. He would not let it happen again, Altavro was sure of it. He would look out for her.
"Speech"
in just one day
04-28-2014, 07:11 PM
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04-29-2014, 05:21 PM
an empire's fall
Altavro felt another smile cross his features as she leaned back, pressing against his chest so that he could nuzzle her absently, listening to her words with only a vague sense of comfort. It was over now, but still it should not have happened and he would make sure that it did not happen again. Altavro was responsible for this wolfess now, and he would look out for her and take care of her as best he could, and that was that. "Well, I won't leave again." He pressed his muzzle into her fur, inhaling her scent as if to remind him that she was real and really there. She had seemed almost like a ghost for a while, especially when he'd been delirious with fever, but now she was all right and that would have to be enough for a while. "I don't want you to be alone like that ever again." Hmm. When he had he gotten so sentimental? What was it about Albatross that made him want to stand between her and the world until she could stand on her own four paws? Altavro wasn't sure, and he wasn't entirely certain that he'd ever find the right answers, but it didn't matter, not with Albatross pressed against him. All he knew was that those things were true.
He could protect her and he would. She deserved it. And maybe that was irrational, maybe it was a little out of character for this grumpy figure, but it didn't matter. "A mountain, huh? Well, I'm more than certain that we could arrange that. You can see as many mountains as you want. We can go wherever your heart desires." Strange to think that not so long ago, he had been worried about a pack. Now, a pack couldn't be further from his thoughts. All Altavro knew was that they would be together for as long as she desired. Maybe explore the mountains - maybe explore the ocean. It didn't matter. The entire world would be more interesting with her. It was sappy, but hey, it was true.
"Speech"
in just one day
04-29-2014, 05:57 PM
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05-02-2014, 09:38 AM
an empire's fall
Albatross' faith in him warmed Altavro, making the smile widen across his features. "No, you certainly won't be." He nodded firmly at that, looking surprisingly serene in that moment. There was a calm certainty in his thoughts, something that made him surprisingly sure about her. Albatross would simply be a part of his life from now, Altavro knew. It was that simple. He had decided that long ago, at any rate, but he was only really recently putting words to that knowledge. It was a surprisingly happy thought; he could imagine himself enjoying her company for the rest of his time, which was a rare thing in this wolf.
His tail wagged contentedly as Albatross spoke again, and his mind flickered thoughtfully to the many places that they could explore, if she desired. There was a mountain that Arella had mentioned her pack being nearby. He could find that pretty easily, right? Near the desert, but not too near, since he certainly hadn't seen any mountains when he'd gone off in search of desert herbs. The thought sounded pretty ridiculous, looking back on it. What had he thought would happen? "I'm glad you're so easily pleased," Altavro laughed softly, voice surprisingly gentle. "Is there anything else you desire, Albatross?" This question was more serious than his light voice made it seem. Anything she wanted, he would do his best to provide.
The warmth of Albatross' touch made Altavro feel only more contented in her presence. Her question, however, threw him off more than he let on. For a moment, Altavro was silent, musing over his answer. He wasn't much of a guardian; fighting was all but beyond Altavro, and his only expertise on a battlefield was in carting the injured wolves away from battle. But he would protect her from everything that he could; did that make him a guardian anyways? "I'm whatever you need me to be," Altavro settled on saying at last, golden tail waving easily. "A guardian or a companion or a guide." Hmm. He liked the sound of that. Altavro of the Nomads, Guardian, Companion, and Guide. It had a solid ring to it. While Altavro was not really one for fancy titles, he still liked it.
"Speech"
in just one day