Virtuous hearts; Tirisfal Valley

Ali swallowed the rest of the meat, her belly now warmer and fuller than it had been in a very long time. She licked her white muzzle clean of the blood and stood. "Either or. If you remember what I taught you, I think you'll do fine on the northern half of the lands," she replied, curled tail swinging. If Jewel went alone, it was just one more sign that she was growing into a strong, intelligent young wolf. "Otherwise, I will be taking the southern half. Make sure you gather a lot of chamomile, we're always in need of that. We should be able to find everything we need. If you see Doctor, make sure you ask if he needs anything in particular."

The half-husky then turned southward, one blue eye watching to see if Jewel would follow, curious to see if she would do this with her or alone. Ali headed over the rolling green hills and to where the earth stretched into a meadow with tall grasses, buzzing cicadas, and a cloudless blue sky. The heat pounded on her granite back as she moved through the brush, junebugs springing with each step. It was like moving through a huge mound of snow, slow and tedious, but it wasn't something she was unfamiliar with. Her frame was built for this, her nose sharp for the scent of the much-needed flowers. She came upon a circular area that looked like it had once been scorched by fire, the yellow grasses shorter than the others. Ali swatted away the flies as she inspected the area, and then realized with a pang in her heart that she recognized it.

More than two years ago, she was standing in the exact same spot, but she was not alone. More than two years ago, Akira and her band of dark wolves were here, threatening to take over the lands. She remembered the way the huge, white witch had leapt at Silent Snowfall, the Alphess at the time, and left a crescent-shaped scar on her silver muzzle. She looked at her paws, dusty from the trek. It was here at her feet that she had had Milani, the blind yearling. Ali knew that there was a creek nearby where Milani was now buried, yet another loss in these lands that were supposed to be pure. If these lands were pure, then why was there always so much sorrow? Her own son was a part of the earth, and her other had vanished into parts unknown. Her gut clenched and she knew that reminiscing on such things wasn't good for her health or anyone in the pack, especially with what Robin had discussed with her earlier. She knew she would have to mentally prepare herself when the time came, but if these lands were so full of sorrow, then...

Ali shook her head. She needed to focus. Gather the herbs. Then, she would have all the time she would need to prepare herself, and discuss it with her husband if needed.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding," Robin chuckled, wagging his tail. He ripped off a chunk of meat and took it to beneath a maple tree, the sweet syrupy scent mixing with the richness of the elk. It felt like it had been such a long time since he had eaten. The goat that he and Jewel had caught a while back had been for the pack's pups. The thought of the pups made him smile, feeling at peace with himself again. In few months time, his own family would be whole again. He watched his wife and daughter talk, and made a note to himself to tell Nuri that Jewel had proven herself as an excellent hunter, and on more than one occasion. He stretched out in the shade and relaxed, sensing that a long summer was soon to be ahead of them.

Ali sat beside her daughter, the two of them eating and talking together. "Well, you're going to have to have a rank some day, my dear. It's a part of being in a pack. And I think you're growing up faster than you realize," she said with a warm smile. No matter what size Jewel grew to, though, Ali would always see the two-toned eyes of her little pup. "After we eat, would you be interested in helping me gather some herbs? When you left for the hunt, we had a lot of newcomers that needed aid. My stocks are running low, and Doctor's were washed out by the storm."

"Yes!" Cumulus barked, ecstatic for Nuri's approval, and bounced away from the depressing topic of leaving to filling his belly with the meat he and Jewel had so hard-won. Cirrus came near, his golden eyes narrowed. "Remember to chew your food, not swallow it whole," he muttered, to which Cumulus paused, swallowed a chunk of meat, and then began to consume a more reasonable piece. Cumulus found himself full very quickly, and took a step back, his front stained with blood. He sat back on his haunches and waited for his brother to finish, all the while watching Jewel.

Cirrus took his time eating, as if postponing their departure. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Cobalt, gnawing at a bone with unneeded fervor. He knew how upsetting it was to have someone who helped you suddenly leave, but he knew that things would resolve in time... as did everything. When he was finished, instead of joining Cumulus right away, he approached Cobalt, but kept his distance. He didn't know how the wolf would react. "I am very sorry to be leaving you, Cobalt... But my father has passed, and my home pack needs me now more than ever. I will try to visit when I can. Everyone here is quite kind, and I know that you will do well in Tirisfal. I came to say goodbye, and that is all," he said with a dip of his head. It would have been rude of him to leave without explanation.

He returned to Cumulus, looking into his sky-blue eyes. "Ready to go?" he asked. Cumulus paused, searching for Jewel's two-toned eyes one final time, and then nodded his head. He couldn't bring himself to speak. He didn't want to leave, there was something here for him, something that he couldn't find back home... but he did not make the laws of the land. Cirrus turned northwards for the border and Cumulus followed, hesitant in his gait, casting a look over his shoulder at the wolves he was leaving behind. How he so hoped that they would be able to visit...

Meanwhile, Robin picked up a hefty chunk of meat for himself and settled beside his daughter. "This is quite the kill you and your boyfriend brought in," he said with a comical grin. Ali selected a smaller piece, and came on the other side of her. "We're very proud of you, dear. When Nuri has the time, perhaps he will be able to give you a rank," she said, curled tail wagging. She looked over her shoulder at Cobalt, who had distanced himself from the rest of the pack. She didn't know if it was out of personal preference, or if he was just plain shy. She gave him a soft smile of encouragement; one that said he could join in any time he liked. She then turned to the meat before her and dug in, her hungry belly becoming warm with the sweet, sweet meat.

Faramir has spoken, but Doctor had been too busy to respond. Had he spoken, that garlic would really be tasted. Robin spoke to the newcomers, and Nuri picked up when Robin left, and soon enough, everyone except for himself, Crescent, and Faramir were left.

Spitting the garlic out of his mouth, he said, "Your friend will be fine. Just some scratches that are already healing. No strenuous work for a while until those injuries are better healed." Lowering his head to look directly at Crescent, he spoke, "I won't care if a horde of wolves are attacking the pack within the next two nights, but you will not participate in fights, hunts, or the like. You'll reopen your injuries if you make a mistake, and while I can patch you up again, we lost our stash of herbs. While I can still heal most anything without herbs, you'll be hurting without them. You can participate in strenuous activities when you're better healed," and with an empty laugh, he added, "It wouldn't be the first time I stopped an army of wolves. For now, I'll allow for anything that only requires walking." It wouldn't be the first time, that was true, but the only thing on the mind of those wolves, so long ago, were to destroy and brainwash the powerful ones. If they actually had varying thoughts, or even acted like individual wolves, it might have been a different story.

He looked at the garlic. Pity it'll start to dry soon, but he could still keep it for a while, just in case anything else happened any time soon. "If you both are up for walking, we can return and get some food," he offered. He wasn't worried about Crescent turning on the pack, although he did hold it as a slight possibility. For now, the wolf was injured and would be weaker. Doctor tilted his head, staring at the garlic he soon intended to pick up while waiting for a response.

It appeared that Nuri's attention was still on Doctor and the wounded wolf at hand. As not to bother the Alpha, Robin turned and smiled at the Akuma and Eruo. "You could wait here for his reply, if you would like. I see that your travelers, and my nose tells me they've just brought back the meat from the hunt. I extend my welcome and invite you to join us for dinner," Robin said, his formal tongue slipping in again alongside his lax, casual form. "You can follow me or wait, the choice is up to you. I am headed off for now, seeing as my business is done here." He nodded his dial at Nuri and Doctor, and then loped back into the heart of the lands, stomach rumbling. He wondered what sort of kill Jewel and the young wolf had brought back - hopefully, nothing that had gotten them injured. He raced to the High Dens, eager to see his wife and tell her of all the things that had been on his mind recently. He wondered what Jewel would say, or even Robbie, if he was out there, somewhere...

He skidded to a halt right alongside his wife. He licked Ali's face and she wagged her curled tail in greeting, nuzzling him on the muzzle. "So, what did I miss?" he asked, and maroon gaze turned to the chunks of elk, just waiting to be feasted upon. Of course, none could eat until Nuri took the first bite. He spotted his daughter and Cumulus and opened his mouth to talk to them, when Ali nudged him in the side. "Cumulus' father just passed. Cumulus and Cirrus will be leaving Tirisfal. Nimbus has left already," she said softly, for Cirrus was still closeby. Robin's mouth closed and his ears folded. "Oh. I guess I'll have to congratulate them another time," he replied. Ali nodded, and pressed her shoulder into his. "What was it you wanted to talk about?" she asked.

Now, a rather playful smirk pulled at Robin's lips. He considered saying his words out in the open, but chose to lean over and whisper them instead in his wife's ear. Ali paused, looking down at her feet, thinking about what he had told her... But then looked into his dark, crimson eyes and nodded. "We'll have to wait for the right season, you know," she said, a giggle bubbling in her throat, but she managed to hold it back. Robin nodded. "Of course. It's just something I thought would do well for us, and with plenty of time to think about."

Meanwhile, Cumulus sat back on his haunches and hung his head, but smiled. "Yeah... You're right. We don't live very far at all. Maybe you can even visit me some day," he said, sky-blue eyes sparkling with a new happiness. "And I won't forget you, Jewel. You're a great friend." He wanted to say more, but it was as if his words were caught in his throat. He had only gotten to know Jewel in such a short span of time, and he couldn't figure out why he felt so strongly for her just now. Regardless, she was a fae that he would commit to memory, no matter how old he grew or how many other females he met. Feeling the need to move on from the subject, despite the heavy feeling in his chest, he looked at their kill. "Man, when's the Alpha going to get here so I can have something to eat?" he groaned, stomach still empty and growling. He secretly wanted Nuri to take his time, though... The longer they had to wait, the longer he had time to spend with Jewel...

Cumulus released a heavy sigh. Suddenly, he wasn't hungry anymore. Instead of an empty stomach, it felt as if there were a heavy stone in it. He glanced at Jewel, his ears folded. "No, everything isn't all right," he replied, unable to look at her. Though she was pretty and made his heart feel warm, he knew that soon, she would become painful to look at. "Cirrus is the heir to my father's pack... And we found out my father just passed away. We have to return home, for the safety of our kingdom... And that means I'm going to have to leave you." It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair whatsoever. He felt as though they had just arrived in Tirisfal, and now they were going to have to leave. And asking Cirrus if he could stay was out of the question - he was an heir as well, and family stuck together. "I'm sorry, Jewel. If I had known that this would have happened, I... I probably wouldn't have come, to save you the trouble of getting to know me."

Cirrus watched the scene between Cumulus and Jewel unfold. He knew he shouldn't have ventured so far from the Billows, and yet, he knew that all of them had needed a breath of fresh air. And now it was time to return home. The decision he had made weighed on his mind and nibbled on regret in his heart. Would he be like this when he took his father's place as well? The burden was heavy, but he continued to tell himself he could handle it. He looked uphill to where Ali and Cobalt were, and it brought a small smile to his face to see that Cobalt was recovering. Cobalt, like Cumulus, was a young wolf that he knew would grow up to be a fine and proud member of the pack. It appeared that Cobalt didn't need any help getting to the food, and Ali descended the hill, heading for her daughter.

"Ali," Cirrus called, grabbing the husky's attention. An irritated look crossed her face, but she loped towards Cirrus regardless. "My apologies for shouting, Mrs. Ali... But your daughter and my brother are in an important conversation, one I think they'd like some privacy to."

"Oh," Ali said in surprise, her eyebrows shooting up. "I can see that the hunt went well, but I didn't expect it to go that well, if you catch my drift."

"It's actually some unfortunate news, you see... News that neither myself or Cumulus is too thrilled about. I am the heir to my father's pack at home - my real home, in the mountains, and we've received word that he has just passed. Nimbus has already left to tell the pack of mine and Cumulus' return. We are going to stay here long enough to eat, but then, we must go."

"Oh," Ali said again, but more in a downtone. "I am very sorry for your loss, Cirrus... I know what it is like to lose someone of your blood. But, Tirisfal will remember you and your brothers' contribution to the pack, short as it was. Though Nuri is not around, I am certain he would welcome you back. You are some of the purest wolves we've had visit in a very long time."

A genuine smile broke out on Cirrus' face. "You sure have a way with words, Ali. Your husband is a very lucky man to have such a kind and understanding lady."

Ali blushed beneath her fur. She couldn't help but smile at the compliment, and turned her head in the direction Robin had gone. It was taking him a considerable while to return, along with Nuri and the others. A slight worry creased her brow, but she knew that the situation with the dark wolves had been taken care of by now. And Robin wasn't hurt. A part of her was still angry at him for the way he had torn off to fight the wolves without thinking, but of course, she was a forgiving fae. She knew that he wanted to have a talk sometime soon about something quite serious, and she could only wonder as to what that talk was...

Within half an hour or so, Cumulus was able to bring back the bulk of the meat with Jewel. He brought it to the base of the hills, right below the high dens, for carrying it had been work enough. He licked the juices dripping from his maw and forced himself to sit back on his haunches, their job completed and his stomach growling louder than a bear in heat. He knew they would all have to wait for the Alpha to approach and take the first bite before anything else. He grinned, his tail wagging behind him, and he turned to his companion. "I think we make a good team," he said, his heart fluttering. Hopefully, there would be more times like this. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a silvery form come loping out of the woods. He recognized it as his eldest brother, Cirrus. "Hey, nice to see you."

"Cumulus," Cirrus said, his name a statement. He walked up next to Cumulus, slightly between him and Jewel, but not enough to rude - just enough to hold a fairly private conversation. "I know you're hungry, but... I have news. Important news."

Cumulus' face fell. "What is it?"

"Father is... gone. I know you've gotten comfortable here, and so have I, but... We need to go home. To our real home, in the mountains. I'm so very sorry," Cirrus replied, his auds falling. "Nimbus has already left. We will leave after we have eaten and informed Nuri."

"Oh," Cumulus lowered his head. Cirrus then moved out of the way, as if knowing that some sort of bond had happened between the young wolf and Jewel. Cumulus glanced at her. What would she think?

Ali reached the crest of the hill. She caught Serenity's words and smiled. "Thank you very much, Serenity. Just gather as much as you can, this is the best growing season for all herbs," she said, her curled tail wagging. She turned to Cardinal, who was still standing. She opened her mouth to say more, when a pair of wolves emerged from the forest, bringing with them the legs of a large elk. The smell of meat drifted into her nares, but more importantly, the smell of her daughter. She was safe. She shook her head and turned back to Cardinal, smiling. "If you're still interested in gathering herbs, you are by all means welcome, Cardinal. As I said, Doctor's stash was flooded out by the storm. The more we have, the better. Before anything else, though, I think it would be a good idea to have some dinner," she said, her stomach rumbling. She looked over her shoulder at Namaria in the cave, and made a mental note to bring a chunk back to her, though she wasn't sure if the fem would be able to eat it. She turned to her other patient, Cobalt, who was still nursing his broken paw.

"Do you need help going down the hill, Cobalt?" she asked, coming to his side. By now, the herbs should be kicking in, lessening the pain he felt, but until he got a splint, it would likely still be there. She offered him her shoulder. "I can help you, and we can get some food together. After that, I'll be able to bandage your paw. Then you'll be good as new."