Her sweet lupine face graced the visual beauty of the river she walked with. Song's pretty paws stepped lightly along the bank, she didn't want to misstep and fall in. The water rushed by her, much faster than she thought possible. Her wandering paws brought her down the river out of Ludicael, though she hardly realized until she was quite a ways outside of her home. She gazed back from whence she came, thinking about the eventuality of going back, but she was enjoying herself too much to want to turn around. Cherokee might get upset with her, since she was taking a big risk leaving the protection of the borders. She was quite pregnant, but she still felt comfortable enough to take care of herself. Her mate had been the only reason she'd made it so far, but occasionally she still found herself playing with alone time. Where had he gone off to? With a shake of her head she let his memory slide away from her, she'd find him eventually. For now the river beckoned her interest and she decided to yield. Her multicolored eyes set upon the rushing water once again. There were many dark shapes that wavered in the deep, she thought them incredible fish. To survive in the river that lay in front of her she knew they had to be tough, maybe she'd get to catch one someday. Speech,

Silent was pregnant. This fact had been somewhat surprising to him -- since he always tried to be realistic, and not overly optimistic -- but he accepted it quickly, and grew rapidly eager to be a father again. One thing that he was not excited for was the sudden mood swings that pregnant females seem to apt to go through. But he would be loving, and he would be patient with him mate -- she was the one carrying the children, after all. Today, her request was simple; she wanted food. But no, not just any food, but a rabbit. With no complaints he left her, off to search for exactly what his love requested. It was not as simple a task as he hoped -- prey was plentiful, but still required a decent trek, and he caught no scent of rabbit in the air today. His aged paws carried him along a river. It was a warm day, and any prey that were about were likely to be found there.. though as he wandered along, the fast river seemed to increase in pace, became rather rapid. Before long, the scent of another reached his nostrils, and his attention was averted briefly. The scent was sweet -- that of a woman. Slowly he drew himself along the river, dark eyes searching the distance. When she came into view, he lowered himself slightly, knowing he was larger than most females -- not wanting to startle her. He was in no mood for a fight these days. "Afternoon," he greeted her somberly, his deep voice ringing out over the roaring river.

His presence did not surprise her as much as it could have, somehow her ears had picked up the sound of his footsteps. Her head turned his way, bicolored gems taking him in as he slowly approached, his demeanor non threatening. Song didn't let her guard down, but she was obviously comfortable. She let a smile sit on her maw as the welcomed company found himself near her, she could not tell who he was, but his scent was oddly familiar. She couldn't quite place here she'd smelled it before. Her ears perked forward as his voice found its way to her through the loudness of the river's roar. A simple greeting, but it got the point across. She wasn't given much information to go off of, so she merely replied So it is. She giggled softly, What brings you to these parts today, stranger? her curiosity was fierce, she needed to know where he had come from. It would drive her crazy until she did. Speech,

Bronze had been humbled infinitely over the last few weeks. He could not afford to fight any longer, to be stand-offish to complete stranger; he would stay safe and healthy, both physically & mentally, for his future children. A small smile graced his own weathered features, for she seemed pleasant enough, even upon first laying eyes on her. Slowly he drew himself a bit closer, lowering his head in slow and deliberate greeting. "Searching for food for my mate," he answered carefully, eying her with the slightest bit of wariness. "And what bring a woman like yourself out here?" She was pregnant -- rather obviously so -- and it seemed a bit unsafe for her to be wandering by such a fast-moving river. He paused, considering. She was rather young, and it was unlikely she'd fall in accidentally. Maybe she lived nearby? "By the way -- I am Bronze, of Seracia." He could only hope that she would return the courtesy and offer her own.

She probably should have been much more wary about what was going on around her. She had unborn babies to think about, their safety was the most important priority she had right now. Had she been worried about it she would have paid more attention to the Ludicael border. She knew Cherokee was already looking for her, he would be upon her almost instantly if she needed him. She didn't feel the need though, the older wolf who approached didn't seem a threat to her. Quite the opposite if she had to decide. She let her ears fall back in respect, her head lowered as well. The smile did not leave her maw as the words slid from his mouth, "Searching for food for my mate, and what brings a woman like yourself out here?" She figured he was referring to the bulge that settled over her abdomen. "By the way -- I am Bronze, of Seracia." Knowing his name didn't help anything. She'd never heard it before. A look of curiosity crept over her face, I'm called Song Destruction, I am a healer from Ludicael. Her smile brightened as she addressed his actual question, I've been following the river, I hadn't even realized that I left the territory. A small laugh followed as she explained her path. She still felt the tug of memory with each waft of his scent she took. Bronze, it's nice to meet you. I just feel like you're familiar somehow. She thought back to his previous words. You don't have any connections to Ludicael do you? Speech,

Bronze wondered, very briefly, if this woman's mate was a decent man -- he knew he wouldn't let Silent wander so far from home when she was so visibly pregnant. But this woman was much younger than his own mate, and it was very likely that she could fend for herself. He was content to take a few steps closer to the woman, his normally blank stare now alight with curiosity.. and was that a hint of warmth that shone in the beast's eyes? "Well -- it's a pleasure to meet you, miss Song." Song Destuction of Ludicael. He'd heard of the pack in passing -- they were an ally of Seracia. He knew nothing more of them. He grew silent for a moment, coming to a halt near the narrow, rapid-moving section of the river. "Though, you ought to be careful where you wander. I have met some unpleasant wolves in this land myself. I could only imagine what one of them might try to do with a pregnant woman." His tones were rather serious -- and yet they did not seem threatening at all. She spoke again, saying that he was familiar to her. How, he wondered, unless she was someone from his distant past? "You must be mistaken," he said, shrugging his large shoulders as he came to recline on his haunches nearby. "Unless you know Silent, my mate?" Otherwise, he was rather certain she was confused, and was thinking of someone else.

It was likely that one day Bronze would meet Cherokee, and if he had a full grasp of the truth he'd realize Song wasn't a very good one to be keeping an eye on. She was restless with the pregnancy and to her mate's dismay could never sit still for very long. She smiled shyly as he approached, but let her haunches fold and leave her sitting on the grass. Bronze already seemed a pleasure to be around, he was friendly towards her and even seemed concerned for her safety. "Though, you ought to be careful where you wander. I have met some unpleasant wolves in this land myself. I could only imagine what one of them might try to do with a pregnant woman." Her ears fell back as as the slight chastisement hit them, but she let him continue. She had just assumed that Cherokee would come seconds after she called him, but how far away from him was she? How long would she be able to hold off a violent wolf in her current condition? She should have watched her steps more closely. Her ivory ears were pushed forward as he uttered something oh so dear to her, "Unless you know Silent, my mate?" She giggled softly as the expression she bore brightened. That's a name I recognize. Her grin grew wider, So you're the one who owns Silent's heart. I'm glad I've gotten to meet you, Bronze. Speech,

Only a few seasons ago, his life had been so.. bland. Endless days of solitude and silence, broken up only by the shortest interruptions. Most of which had been mildly unpleasant. So much had changed in a short period of time -- once again Bronze belonged to a pack, and he had reunited with his first and only real love. Now, he could grow old in relative peace, though with the pressing knowledge that he would have young children to tend to soon, he was growing somewhat restless. He could only hope he would live to see them to adulthood, to keep them happy and healthy and whole. He wanted none of his children to feel the pain of loss that he had suffered from at such a young age; no, they would have two loving parents, and the safety of a pack to retreat to if anything happened to either Bronze or Silent. The woman brightened infinitely as Bronze spoke his mate's name. The brute could tell he knew Silent before she even voiced his aloud. "That would be me -- I hope, at least," he joked lightly, her joy contagious, and a smile of his own came to rest on his aged lips. "I am glad to see she has not been alone in her travels here." She had always been far more social than he, not plagued by darkness that had been implanted in his heart since his childhood. What a lovely woman she was, and he was truly grateful to have found her again. "How long have you known her, Song?" He briefly wondered how long she had lingered in these lands before they had reunited, not that dwelling in the past mattered very much...

She was glad that the mystery was revealed to her, the puzzle her brain had been trying to solve came clear. This was Silent's mate. She didn't talk much of him, it was probably because Song had never asked. It was quite shameful of her, thankfully though here they were. A coincidental meeting but a pleasant one all the same. "That would be me -- I hope, at least," Her lips drew back in a wide grin her tail thumped against the hard ground. "I am glad to see she has not been alone in her travels here." Silent was one of the first wolves she met in Alacritia, they had come to be quite close recently. "How long have you known her, Song?" He mustn't have heard about the wedding that his mate had presided over, this would be quite the tale for him. It seemed Silent mentioned as much of Song to Bronze as Bronze to Song. I've known Silent for as long as I've been here on Alacritis. I consider her my adoptive mother, she even performed the ceremony for my husband and I. Her adoration for the older she wolf was quite plain to see on her pretty porcelain face. She would do anything for Silent, she just wished she lived closer. Since she had found her way to what Song assumed was Seracia she had seen a bit less of her. That would have to be remedied soon. I haven't seen her in a bit, I imagine she's lessened her traveling because of the pregnancy. She didn't wish to go very far now that her sides were becoming quite round. She really shouldn't have strayed far from the den.. Speech,

Bronze never had been one for small talk, and he knew very well that his mate -- who was as good as his second, and his better half -- was much more pleasant company than he. And yet he felt drawn to this woman, knowing she was a dear friend of Silent's. Ear's perked atop his lifted head as he listened to her, glad to hear the excitement in Song's voice. If Silent was as close to her as Song claimed, and he had no reason to think she would lie to him, she deserved his attention and even an ounce of compassion ... a rare thing from the elder wolf. And so he offered a gentle smile in return, noting that she had known Silent since she'd been in these lands. "It is too bad you two were not around our wedding," he teased lightly, ears flicking back. "Though that wedding was nearly... I don't know..." he paused, considering. "At least two dozen seasons ago." He laughed lightly, remembering -- it was sometimes painful realizing how he was nearing the end of his life. It seemed only yesterday he was barely reaching adulthood, becoming a man, starting a family. Now he was but a shadow of the creature he once was; his age was written plainly on his scarred face. "You know, it was only recently that I was reunited with her. Fate works in strange ways sometimes." He watched her, wondering when the woman was due to give birth. Probably before Silent, or so it seemed. "It's probably my fault that you haven't seen her much. I don't like her traveling very far, to be honest-- I'm a bit surprised we were even able to have children." It was quite amazing, and Bronze was beginning to feel certain it would be their last. What would happen if they ended up passing before the children reached adulthood? He could only hope he could persevere for these children, to see them through their childhoods and provide some sort of stability in their lives -- something he had never been given himself.

The pale she wolf was settling back into a relaxed state, she already liked the aged man. Not that she had expected anything different, if she had thought about it prior she would have thought that she would enjoy his company. It was true, and she was very much savoring their conversation. "It is too bad you two were not around our wedding, though that was nearly... I don't know... At least two dozen seasons ago." She let her bell like laugh chime in with his own. She was not even a glimmer in her mother's eye when they joined each other's lives. I'm sure it was beautiful. She was only just beginning her life, and her family with Cherokee. She hoped desperately that she would never be separated from him they needed to raise their children and grow old together. "You know, it was only recently that I was reunited with her. Fate works in strange ways sometimes." She tilted her head slightly, I imagine that is why she never told me of you, I've hardly seen her since your reunion. A smile was placed on her features as he continued "It's probably my fault that you haven't seen her much. I don't like her traveling very far, to be honest-- I'm a bit surprised we were even able to have children." She never really put much thought into how much older the couple was compared to she and Cherokee. Old enough that their children's existence was to be questioned. I'm almost as excited for them as I am my own. I'm glad that my little ones will have pups of their own age to grow up with. They would be as close as brothers and sisters if she was to have any say in it. If only she knew the future. Speech,

The beast let a low sigh escape his slightly parted lips -- not a sound of either unhappiness or pleasure, but instead a somewhat fatigued noise as he shifted his weight from one paw to the next. Behind him, his rather fluffy tail curled contentedly around his hindquarters, his stance slackening yet again. Shoulders rolled as he shifted, watching her with obvious delight in his dark eyes. "Beyond beautiful," he agreed, his voice rumbling slightly with pleasure at the thought. Life was so much simpler then, and he longed to return to such carefree days, when there was little more to worry about than what the next day's adventure might be. "Must be why," he said, smiling yet again. He didn't love to think about the time he had spent apart from Silent, but he could not be jealous -- it was he that had left her, after all. But the thought that she had given birth to children of other men was not always so pleasant for him to recall, and he felt a pang of regret strike him as he considered it. Song said she, too, was excited for their children -- his grin broadened. He knew the Seracian wolves would be good and kind to their pups, but it warmed his heart to know that someone else would care for them even more deeply than most others. "We will certainly have to arrange playdates then," he suggested, laughing at how it made him sound -- like an old man, most certainly. But Bronze did not mind. He wanted only the best for his children, and would die trying, if he had to, to ensure their safety and success. "Do you have any indication to how many you're having?" He knew it was not always a perfect science, but that many women could feel distinctly separate pups inside their bellies.

She was happy to see the excitement in the older brute's eye, she felt it brimming within her as well. It would not be long before the bundles would be laid out before her, and not in an elegant way. Soon enough though, for now she would just have to endure the pregnant part. "Do you have any indication to how many you're having?" She shook her head sadly, she hadn't a clue how many pups would be born, though they were either really big or they were plentiful because she felt extremely swollen. I've not the faintest clue. A chuckle would then follow her soft words. Before she was able to say much more she could hear the soft voice of one who needed her. Cherokee's howl was hard to ignore. She smiled happily, knowing that even though he might worry a bit to much it just meant he cared. That would be my cue, sir. It was good to meet you Bronze. I hope to see you again soon. She nodded her head in a respectful farewell and turned, trotting back down the river banks. -exit song- Speech,