Why, why did this always have to happen to him? He hadn't seen Venus in days, and their pups should have been well on the way. What if she was sick, and dying. He didn't know Quelt just didn't know. If someone else did he certainly would like to know what was going on with his mate. He had lost one, and this one was another he didn't exactly want to lose. Venus had given him something beyond words that could be expressed. She may have had a past of frisking around with others, but he was determined to help her through that. Yet, if she ran away to be with some other male, he'd like to know that as well. The man sighed, this was making him neglect his duties, once again he had to distract himself from his personal life. It plainly sucked, as he looked at the cold plains. What was he doing wrong, this could have been the gods punishing him for what he did with Isokan. It made him snort mildly, what would happen if he just forgot how to feel, would it get any better? He highly doubted it, yet if Bass needed him to do something, he'd do it. Right now he'd be looking for anything to do.   Speech,

 

He had been worried about the cream and black woman, she had vanished from Abaven. If he was counting the days correctly, her pups would have been born by now. Her and Quelt's pups. She was quite the fighter though, perhaps she crawled away to suffer from birth without the prying ears and eyes of her fellow pack mates. He let out a sigh, the air before him fogging with his expelled breath. He couldn't imagine was the slate blue man was going through right now, with the fear of Venus never returning. Her promises of providing for Abaven rang in her ears as he picked up Quelt's scent, a sadness lingering in his heart. Seeing the man easily against the snow, he walked up and offered a weak smile, bumping against his shoulder. He had missed having Quelt in his pack, and was pleased that him and Allen had returned home. But knowing the man beside him, Bass knew that he was probably looking for something to do. "Hey," he said softly, his mind spinning as he tried to think of something for him to do. There was little else left in this deary season, and with half of their members either pregnant, traveling, or missing completely. There had been a few new howls of packs, something that he had to drag his butt out to do. But with his pups due any day now, he was reluctant to leave his wife's side. And then something came to him. "Did you ever meet Crucifix, the alpha of Solstice?" He asked, pausing to allow his friend to answer before he went on. "I heard a call ring out for his pack, but I have heard nothing since. Do you think that you would be able to check over there to see if everything is okay? They are good allies of ours, and if a new leader is in place I would like to know. Perhaps the alliance will still stand." He doubted that it was Kylar, he had a feeling that the dark male would not let his claim go unheard of. Cru had come to tell him of the feud between the two packs, but his paws had been tied. Both Cat's and Cru's pack were allies, and he had been stuck in the middle of a lingering war. Although after Kylar's challenge rang out, he was unsure of where all of that stood. Perhaps a little hunt for information would be good for Quelt, get him out of Abaven and give him time to think, and space to breath.

 

It was stressing, overly so. He was more worried about Venus' health than anything. If she was hurt because of his pups and his doing, he didn't think he'd be able to forgive himself. He had given her a new light to the world of having connections with others even with the fear. Same to him, he no longer had to worry about concealing how he was, how he had been on the inside but had rarely shown others. It didn't help that, he knew, many of the females were pregnant in the pack, he'd be looking at those pups and thinking of Venus hoping that she was back before he saw them at least so he didn't have to see that. Quelt didn't want to seem like a burden because of his own problems, that was one of his biggest problems. His eyes looked up at Bass for a moment, he didn't smile really though the gesture was welcome giving a well deserving slight wag to his tail. Though obviously Bass knew what was wrong, and was trying to avoid the subject, in which the man was thankful for. Quelt snorted mildly at the name, he hadn't really had a connection with any packs in his time in Isokan besides Abaven.  Though he had known of them for sure. His blank expression changed a bit before he let out a soft sigh. "I suppose there is no harm in checking. Though if a new leader is present I don't know if I'd be qualified to speak about an alliance." definitely something different about him. His stomach in knots, he felt awkward around Bass. Even though he was his best friend, the only best friend he had ever really had. He lowered his eyes for a moment, "I hope Venus is alright." Speech,

 

Bass sighed softly, a bit upset at how Quelt had changed. He wasn't the same brute he was before he left Abaven. Perhaps if he had been able to convince him to stay, he would be better, the same even. He eyed him now, his eyes soft as he picked up on the sadness. He said that he wasn't great at politics, and that is when Bass remembered. "Perhaps you would be better off doing some snooping for me... Go go poke around Sawtooth's old land and find out what really happened there," he had still heard nothing from Dhiren, and it was making him worried. Could they all really be stuck there as prisoners? He would not let his family live like that, and his hackles raised. He wasn't too keen on sending someone who looks like they could be family, and with Quelt's blue coat, well no one would know. Perhaps he could even wash off the scent of Abaven to appear like a rouge. Quelt's words broke his thoughts, making him blink as he brought his focus back to him. Another sigh passed through his lips and he nuzzled his friend on the shoulder. "I'm sure she just crawled off somewhere to give birth. She is a strong wolf, she most likely didn't want to let anyone see her suffer." He nodded his head, knowing that she wouldn't have just vanished.

 

For a moment he saw that his sadness was effecting the man. He stopped for a moment, but let a smile flutter on his face. It hurt him that he was doing this to them, he couldn't let himself drag them down after all. His black tail flicked for a moment as he looked at Bass feeling the bump on his shoulder. He had to be right, they knew how Venus was after all, hated showing any sort of weakness. Hopefully when she came back she would have pups in tow, but if she didn't he'd just be glad she was okay even if it was that painful. "I can do that much for you. How's your mate?" Quelt would try to change the subject quickly. They couldn't dwell on his unhappiness, he always dragged others down. He wasn't quiet sure what he was doing at times after all. Even since Isokan, he possibly just wanted to give up on everything.  Speech,