For Immortality⋅∫⋅Dear Feylnx

[Lonestar]

Moving leisurely, the male worked his way through the forest that he knew so well along the mostly hidden path that led back to property on which his house sat. Used to be he would travel this way very occasionally and only as a cougar, but lately the human in him had a lot to think about. Besides that, he was no longer the man he used to be. The woman waiting for him back home, probably cooking the breakfast he was indeed hungry for, had changed all that about two years ago. At least, he noticed the change and he thought she did as well even if the rest of their tribe didn’t bother with taking note of the differences in Kat. After the vampire attack was thwarted years ago and the wedding of Bricaza to her bloodsucker endured, the man and finally gotten the chance to settle into a smooth and easy existence with his young wife and the pair of them were in better harmony than they had ever been. Of coarse, there were certain things he had yet to budge on like her having a job or them birthing children, but his constant blow-ups in a rage rarely happened now and if they did, they certainly did not lead to either of them leaving the other. They had come to an understanding as most married couples would. As he promised her, he kept her within the loop of what was happening around them and she had gotten better at coaxing out the softness in him rather than running away whenever his ugly side reared it’s head. Unfortunately, that routine that they had both adjusted to and enjoyed during the recent peaceful twenty-four months was interrupted by the appearance of another threat. This one, however, was not some threat that Kat could hunt down or one that he needed to keep his Feylnx safe from. No, this unwanted visitor was a silent killer and had its sights set solely on those Chosen of the tribe. So far, five of the very limited number had met with this demon with three dead and the most recent victim having met her doom this night. The shifter had been called forth from his bed by The Alpha at three in the morning in response to the most recently afflicted and although there were still two left alive of those who had come face to face with this threat, they were not expected to survive the encounter. The quiet intruder flabbergasted the Elders as well as the Chosen and none could seem to think of any way to combat it. Of course, that was the way with disease. A plague had fallen upon his comrades and although Kat knew his duty was to stay with the tribe and sort out the best way to combat it, all he wanted to do was take his wife and go as far away from their homelands as they could. It wasn’t that he feared for his own life, but that he knew how it would affect the gentle female were he to fall into the same condition as those laying in isolation at the outskirts of the tribal lands. For what felt like the thousandth time within the past five hours, the man racked his brain for a way to help his people while fighting the urge to protect what was his. His hand lifted to pinch the brim of his nose and he sighed, feeling so very tired that he felt as if he were a hundred years old rather than the twenty-five that he actually was and it seemed that the closer he got to home the more tired he became. Slowly, he continued on his way, wishing he did not have to see the look of worry on Fey’s face when he walked in the door, but she would know that only one thing could call him out of their bed at such a time and he would not waste his breath trying to convince her otherwise. If it had been some other mythical beast that had shown up in their territory or even another coven of vampires the male would have been pleased, but instead they were cursed with a virus none knew how to track. It had been three months since the first case of sickness was documented and so far it appeared that at least the disease had a schedule. After the first symptoms were presented, they would only progress worse into total lack of body control where in the Chosen would switch constantly back and forth between forms in a metamorphosis that was much more painful than usual until the person and animal could no longer recognize themselves or their surroundings. After that, they would reach a comatose state, which held them half in, half out of each form and would remain that way until death five hours later. So far, this total process had taken two weeks precisely. For Kat, the problem was that he had no physical opponent to combat. There was no one that he needed to hunt down and dispose of; no one upon which the place the blame. This lack made the male feel weak and that led to greater frustration on the subject. Recently, the calm that had previously ruled his house was gone and he knew that he was the cause. His rage was back to being unpredictable and although it was never turned upon his life’s partner, he knew that his unstable emotional state brought back memories of their first few months together and that brought about tension. And it didn’t help that Feylnx would always look at him with worry when she thought he would not notice. Her obvious worry over him drove the hunter to madness for he as a proper male should do all he can to protect her, even from her own emotions. As lost in his thoughts as he was, Kat hardly noticed that he had neared the house until he ran into the fence of the horse’s corral. Only then was the drawn out of his thoughts in order to look up from the ground he was mindlessly staring at the past few miles and take in the sight of his home. It looked peaceful, but all he could feel was foreboding. He knew he could not afford to relax for this situation would surely get much worse before it got better. He had no choice but to prepare his wife for what was to come all while praying that by some miracle the Gods would choose to spare his life even though he knew wishing for such a thing was selfish. The Chosen was no stranger to selfish behavior. Moving around the horse pen, he paid no mind to the animal that eyed him worryingly from the other side of the paddock. The creature had never grown to trust the man and really he could not blame the horse. After all, if Feylnx were not so attached to that beast he would gladly eat it for dinner. Horseflesh was tasty. Kat steeled himself and climbed the steps of the back porch so that he could reach out to open the back door. Upon stepping through the threshold, his eyes immediately moved to land on the female wherever she was standing, a forced smile pulling his lips tight as he hoped she did not see past the attempt at pleasantness to see the exhaustion and pessimism within her husband. Morning. Deep vocals muttered to her while he crossed the distance between them, pausing beside her for a moment in order to plant a kiss on her cheek before moving to obtain food so that he would not be dragging from lack of energy the rest of the day.

[Ayrn]

A lot had changed in the last couple years for the girl; first of all she grew from a timid girl into a woman, a woman who had fallen head over heels in love with the husband she had been forced to marry. It was no longer about arrangements for her, about lineage and everything else that came with her being married to Kat; it was about the man who she trusted with her life, and the fact that she tended to see a softer side of him than anyone else did. Sure they clashed from time to time like any other married couple did but at the end of the day she was his biggest supporter, the one person that she hoped that he knew that he could turn to no matter what was going on in his life. A trusted confidante even though she knew that he thought that it was his job to protect her from everything that was going on in their lives. She was strong enough to handle it though, she could carry the burden on her shoulders just as much as he could. The difference being that she was quite often the one that was not meant to do anything about it, he was the one that was depended on by the council. She was off on the sidelines to be there for him when he finished with the meetings and returned to their bed whether it be early in the evening or late at night when a meeting had gone long over the time that he thought that it would take. She was a lot bolder than she used to be when the two of them were first married, he was still the only one that was able to make her blush like crazy and bring back the same sheepish expression that she used to wear but at the same time she had found comfort in her new position as his wife. She found courage in his inner strength. That morning when she rolled over in bed, she had been expecting to find her husband there beside her, she was nearly always up before dawn and there were times where it was long before he awoke, the bed was empty though and the spot that he should have been was cold. It meant that he had been called out into the night for a meeting, there had been a lot of those going on lately and she did not like the sounds of it. She didn’t like anything that ailed her husband after all. Body was shifted as feet touched the ground, if he had been there it was likely that she would have just rolled over and used the excuse to curl up against him to fall back asleep for another hour, but already her mind was twirling with the possibilities of where he was. She never worried that it was ever going to be the man being unfaithful to her, she trusted him but she didn’t like when the council needed him so badly that they called him when he was supposed to be getting his rest. At first when the two of them had been married she had been upset that he did not expect her to work, she was unsure of what she was supposed to be doing during a day to pass the hours where he was away and in defiance she had even gotten a job herself but that moment had been given up and now she was more than happy to tend to the house where they lived. The garden that she grew outside on the property was enough to keep her busy as well as transporting the foods that she grew there to the farmers market. She loved the simply life and never asked for too much because she was lucky and felt like she had everything that she needed in order to be happy. Children were certainly not a subject that were talked too much about, she knew that they were sort of expected of him but until he decided that it was something that he wanted from her she was happy with just the way that their life was going, She had never thought about children herself until being married and she did not even know if she was cut out to be a mother in the first place. She did feel better knowing that she knew what was going on with his work and what was happening with the tribe. Maybe she would not be able to do anything if there was something or someone that threatened him but if he were to ever go missing she at least would know where to start to look. She was loyal to the man who she had fallen for and always would be. She did know that there was some sort of plague that was headed through the tribe and was affecting the shifters in it, she worried deeply about her husband but at the same time she knew that she could not express that she wanted to steal him away from the problem until it all blew over in order to keep him safe, he would not take well to it and he knew his duty too well as a Chosen. She had stepped out of the house to feed the horse who stood at the edge of the fence, nickering happily to see her. A small smile crossed her face as she leaned against the enclosure that Kat had built and scratched the animals withers. She headed back into the house with the intentions of making breakfast. Even if she needed to store it away for much later when he returned at least it would be there and she was hungry herself. She worked at making cinnamon buns from scratch knowing that she would have the time as well as bacon and eggs. She didn’t jump when the door was opened and she heard the familiar footsteps at the back entrance. She did however move to the other side of the counter and her eyes met his from across the room. She did her best to hide the worry but it was always going to be there even in a subtle form because she cared deeply for him. Your tired, love, come have breakfast. She whispered gently as she stepped forward to meet him, smiling gently when he kissed her cheek she followed him back over to where the food was ready and waiting for the two of them to sit down. She sat across from him as soon as the places were set and ready. How bad is it Kat? She couldn’t hold back asking for any longer even though they had just sat down together.

[Lonestar]

Unconsciously, a genuine smile split the male’s grimace when he spotted her hard at work in the kitchen with her back to him. It wasn’t just that he was pleased to see her (although, after a long night spent with elders he would rather see once every year rather than once every day as was common recently instead of in the arms of his wife, that much was true too), but that she no longer jumped or seemed uneasy to the way he moved so silently when it was least expected. She had adapted fully to life beside him and it amazed the Chosen how much this simple truth pleased him. The smile faltered a bit when she turned to face him with as much worry in her eyes as he had been expecting, but he managed to hold onto the expression long enough to approach her. Submitting meekly to her words because he knew she was right, the male could only nod and follow her lead as she directed him to the table and fixed them both a plate before sitting across from her husband to eat with him. Caring little for manners because of his fatigue, the man ate with less grace than usual and for him that meant he ate like a starved animal. His fork did not pause on its continuous path from the plate to his mouth until his mate’s words stopped him in his tracks. Slowly, the shifter lifted his gaze from the plate to see that she had hardly touched the food and sighed inwardly at seeing the anxiety in her gaze. Leaning back to fully rest his back against the chair, he held her eyes with his own while he finished chewing and wiped his lips with the napkin she had set beside his plate before clearing his throat to speak. Another Chosen caught ill last night. No other fatalities as of yet, but I know they’re coming. Pulling his gaze from hers, the male looked off into the distance, staring at nothing for a long moment before sighing and pushing away from the table and the food there, no longer interested in the meal that she had prepared his mind was too full of frustration. Closing his eyes, he put his hands behind his back and tried to relax as much as possible while waiting on her to finish as well, loosing himself again in his thoughts while he tried to figure out once again how the tribe was going to get ahead of this thing. For a while longer, the silence stretched between them till the shifter’s brain was so full that he felt it was going to burst. He needed someone else to talk to about this. So far, no other Chosen had been able to offer a solution that he had not thought of himself and turned down. After all, he was the Chosen of the Trickster and the cleverest of them all, but even he was at a loss now. Unable to withhold his thoughts any longer, Kat sighed again and opened his weary vision to look upon his young wife, wishing there was someone else to burden with his thoughts, but knowing that even if there was he would chose no other. She was bright and perhaps since she was gifted of thinking in a different way than he himself could claim to rationalize, perhaps she would see something that he could not. The pattern of the sickness is holding true. It’s only infecting those that are Chosen and they are all getting sick exactly two weeks before… termination. We can’t seem to find the path of infection though. None of those afflicted are related or have had any physical contact with each other for the many days prior to the first sign of symptoms. And they are all in different places when the symptoms first show themselves. One was in the grocery store, one was at her home, another was out on scouting duty, and still another was outside of the Council’s chambers. It’s not airborne, it’s not bloodborne, it’s not passed through contact…. It’s evading us! With frustration hitting its peak, the bloke slammed a fist down onto the table, breathing heavy and startling himself out of his rant. This was the first show of anger that he had displayed in months. Dropping his head in shame, he slowly pulled his fist back into his lap before daring himself to look back at his wife to see her reaction, knowing that his outburst would not go unnoticed by her. Just as their gazes met, the sound of a knock on the door startled the shifter. Immediately, his body jerked into action and he was out of his seat and towards the door in a matter of seconds. He did not expect visitors and one of the tribe simply did not show up to his house unannounced. They knew better. Regardless, as he pulled back the curtain to see who it was, he was surprised to see that it was one of the tribe, a Chosen, outside waiting for the door to open and her eyes were trained right on his. Growling under his breath in a protective way, the bloke had to force himself upright so that he would not threaten the Keeper. Upon opening the door, the man stepped quickly aside as the younger woman walked inside without even glancing his way. Instead, her eyes were trained upon the woman that was his wife. Immediately feeling protective and suspicious, he began to move around the other Chosen in order to get between the too ladies. “Curb your instincts, Kat. I will not harm her. I only came to speak with her. And I would not have come if it were not the only way to help us.” Confused enough by the Keeper’s words to stop himself from moving between the two women, Kat turned his full body to face the other Chosen, his gaze turning unyielding as he watched her stare at his wife. What is it that you have come here for then Alana? Her gaze slowly moved from Feylnx at his question to rest upon Kat, a feeling of dread gathering in his stomach at the look in her dark eyes although her blank face revealed nothing, as always. “I’ve come to see if your wife will save our species, Trickster.”

[Ayrn]

She did not tend to see her husbands smile often, but there was nothing that the young woman would not do to be the cause of it. She wanted to be able to make him happy, to ease his worries and to be everything that he needed. For a long time after they were first married she was convinced that it was not going to be the case but things were easy between them now. They had settled into a routine that she knew that they both thrived on. There used to be a time where he would sneak into the kitchen or other places of the house and she would nearly jump out of her skin when she turned around and came face to face with him, not anymore. Now when she turned around he was a more than welcome surprise and her demeanor did not change at all. After all she knew that it was going to be him, there were not too many creatures that were brave enough to risk entering his house unspoken for and even less that would dare to seek the company of his wife. They all knew how protective he was over her and while it might have bothered other women it was not at all the case for her, she thrived of it, it was one of the ways that he showed her that he cared about her. Neither of them were all too wonderful with words so it was better to be able to show one another. Actions spoke louder than words after all. While she did her best to hide the fact that she was worried about him and what he was dealing with right now she knew that he was going to be able to catch on. He knew her better than that and he could see past the front that she put up. While she could not cure all his woes she could at least provide a good meal that was going to fuel him in what he needed to think about and ease a least a little of the tiredness that surely seeped into his bones now. She was not bothered by the fact that he ate like a starved animal, there was not too much that he could do anymore that would shock her. Her own plate was nearly finished when she met his eyes when he spoke of the illness that was being passed through the tribe. Well she supposed that passed was not the right word since there was no saying what the cause of it was and if it was even transferring between one another. She nodded swallowing hard when he mentioned that there was no fatalities yet but that another Chosen had fallen ill last night. The only thing on her mind was the fact that she could not stand to lose her husband. Sure they had started off rocky but he was so important to her, their life together was important. Her own plate was pushed away from her as she stood and gathered their dishes since the meal was apparently over. Watching him as he stalked through the kitchen her eyes never left his body. She knew that he did not tend to like to burden her or feel like he was burdening her but that was what husbands and wives were supposed to do, they were supposed to confide in one another so she was glad that it was what he did. She didn’t falter with the flare of his temper, eyes remained calm and locked on him. She didn’t blame him for being frustrated since she knew that she would be as well and she was even if it was not her problem to deal with, at least not yet. She only jumped a little with the abrupt noise of his fist hitting the table and the rattle that it sent through the space between them. She wanted to tell him that it would be alright and that he would get it figured out in time but that felt like a lie and she would not lie to the man that she loved even if it was meant to make him feel better, she knew him better and knew that it would not make him feel even slightly better. She bit her lip glancing up at him. I can’t lose you, Kat. I don’t know what I would do if you are next. She whispered. She ignored the fact that she might have trembled at the outburst previously and stepped forward to him. A hand was gently placed on his chest. The tender moment and plea was disturbed by a knock on the door though and she stepped back to turn to face the guest that was going to be entering their home. Her eyes followed him when he made his way to the door and the woman that was standing behind it was invited into the house. She did have to admit that she was very confused when the other Chosen then mentioned that she was not here to talk to Kat but rather that she was here to talk to her, there was a flicker of shock that registered on dainty features but it disappeared momentarily. She remained silent since she was alright with Kat being the one that was doing the talking and feeling like he was the one that was in charge of the situation even though it did not appear that way with the way that the other woman was looking at her. She moved to stand by her husbands side, that was where she was meant to be at least in her mind. She hesitated when the woman named Alana mentioned that she was here to see if she was willing to save their species. Me? She asked sounding confused. What do I need to do? There was no question of whether or not she was going to agree to it, since it would mean that she was going to be able to be the key to make sure that her husband was not going to be taken by this disease.

[Lonestar]

Kat couldn’t help it. As soon as his eyes met hers, the man was entranced, unable to look away. He hated it when his anger got the better of him, especially in front of her. It was such a rare occurrence these days, but he’d been under quite a bit of stress with Chosen members suddenly becoming ill. All the past days of dealing with the situation just got the better of him and his frustrations had boiled over. His brave wife took the outburst in stride although he knew she was certainly shocked by it. Instead, she acted like nothing had happened and closed the distance between them, causing him to catch his breath as her hand came to rest on his chest.
Her emotional words softened him, immediately turning the hard man to putty in her hands as he reached out to cup her cheek, needing to touch her to offer comfort. He was about to reassure her, tell her that there was no chance of him falling ill even if that was false, when the knock at the door called both their attentions. He hated walking away from her right then, but no one showed up at his door unannounced.
If it had been anyone else, but Alana who had entered his home without his expressed permission the male would have instantly remedied the situation and prevented it from happening in the future by forcefully removing their presence from his property. But even he was not fool enough to go against the Keeper and therefore simply had to brood over the interruption quietly. He couldn’t help the protectiveness that flared inside of him at the other’s obvious interest in his wife, but shock kept rendered him immobile. The Keeper thought that Feylnx, his Fey, was the key to saving their species? He had yet to notice how close his bride had gotten to him until her words sounded next to his ear. Instantly, the sound of her voice brought him out of his stupor and he turned his body towards her, lifting an arm to wrap around her shoulders so he could fold her into his protective embrace. You don’t need to do anything Fey. He assured her in a whisper before kissing the top of her head.
Turning back to their visitor, he glared across the distance in displeasure, fighting the need to bare his teeth and reining his emotions in. What is the meaning of this Alana? If you know something about the sickness that’s incapacitating our fellows then you need to share this information.
Although he used his most menacing voice, the woman ignored him, continuing to keep her whole attention trained on Feylnx. When she got closer, she reached out her hand; obviously intending for Fey to take it. Kat tightened his embrace around her shoulders, very uncomfortable with the whole situation. Kat trusted no one with his wife.
“The Old Man has shown me you’re face, Feylnx. It is you that must do this. You will have to travel far. And fast for you only have six weeks time. A God’s war is to come if you do not.” The woman spoke with clarity her eyes never waving from his wife until just then, when her ease in the situation seemed to shift as she looked at Kat.
“As is your husband.” She finished softly, sounding mournful, but Kat did not care. The beast inside him roared in protest and within seconds he was gone from his wife’s side, easily pinning Alana’s smaller body to the hardwood floor. Blindly, he got within inches of his captives face and growled in warning, his body taught with violence.
Nothing will take what is mine from me. Not even the Gods can compel me to give up my wife. Especially only to satisfy their games. You are the Keeper of the old words and the God’s voices. Tell them to involve another, but I will not give them my wife. He said tightly, his voice thick with emotion and deeper in tone than usual.
“I am not one to question the Old Man’s wisdom, Kat. Go with her if you wish to protect her, but you cannot stop what the Gods have put in motion. If she does not do this, you, I, our brothers and sisters, all of our kind shall perish. And when one power dissipates, another rises to fill its hole. There is no other way” Alana spoke to him calmly. She was not scared as other’s would be to have the Trickster’s favorite pinning her to the floor at his mercy. Her gaze held his steadily for a long moment as she allowed her words to sink in before she looked over at Feylnx from under the man.
“You will have to travel to the north western most of our sister tribes. It is there that you will find the one who brings sickness to us here. Take your husband with you for the journey, but he cannot step onto the tribes lands without mortal consequences.” As Alana explained further, Kat found that he too was drawn to his wife and watched with hooded eyes for her reaction. So much had happened in the past few minutes that he wasn’t sure what to think or how to react. His mind was scrabbling to process all that he had been told. The cougar cared little for what was said. Instinct told him to protect his wife, but how was he to do that with this illness spreading across the Chosen? In this he was less powerful than her.
Feylnx? He asked, lost. He needed to hear her response, to know what she was thinking about all of this. He had made a decision for her before and only ended up pushing her away. He was not the same man as he had been when they’d married. Of coarse, he was still against her doing as Alana suggested and there would no doubt be an argument about it between them, but that would wait till this stranger was out of his house, but he would wait for Fey to send Alana on her way.

[Ayrn]

He did not need to worry about his anger and his temper, she was the one person that really understood and she appreciated the fiery nature of the man that she called her husband. It was better for him to lash out and express himself rather than to hold it all in and stew over it, she didn’t blink and her expression didn’t change. She knew that it was not directed towards her and that was what was important. She would never be scared of him, how could she be scared of a man that would always protect her, the same man that she slept soundly beside every single night since they were married. There was something to be said about providing that sort of protection and his protection was rewarded with her undying loyalty. There was only one man for her and always would be, the single person she had ever been intimate with. Her eyes were locked on his face when she noticed his breath stop when she touched his chest. She was in tune with everything that was going on with him, just the same as he was with her. She felt like he was the only person that could see beyond everything and right into her soul and she honestly did not mind, there were no secrets on her side of the marriage. Wide eyes flickered closed for a moment when he cupped her cheek but the moment of tenderness between the married couple did not last, not when they were interrupted and even the placid and easy going woman was a little annoyed at the burst through the door. She did know that the way that the two acted around one another was now something that shocked the tribe members, and surely the protective arm that was wrapped around her shoulder was something that would be seen as out of character for Kat but time together had changed the two of them slightly. She was told that she did not need to do anything but she felt like that was not the case. If she really was the key to everything that was going on how could she remain in the background and not do anything of it. She did appreciate Kat’s reassurance though and the kiss that he placed on the top of her head, he made everything feel like it was a lot more simple than was the case. She eyed the hand that was offered to her and for a moment didn’t move. Not with the rigid man at her side who looked like he might jump out of his skin at any moment. No one wanted blood spilled on their kitchen floor. She didn’t need to think of whether it was polite not to take the hand that was offered to her for very long though since it was in that moment that Kat leapt from her side and the other was pinned to the ground. Kat.. Her tone was soft as she stepped forward placing a hand on his shoulder. It was a lot for her to try to comprehend as she stood there watching the two of them and feeling like she was frozen to the floor. She was just his wife, a product of an affair and it was a miracle that she was even allowed in the tribe at all never less to marry one of the Chosen. She could barely understand what was going on but she knew that both her and her husband were reeling with new information that they needed to assess but there was no way that she was going to make her decision before she talked to Kat, alone. That was what married couples did and she was not going to give Alana the element of surprise. This is not a decision that I make alone. She uttered boldly. This is something to be discussed between myself and my husband, alone. She told the woman. Please give me a location where I can find you with my decision but you will not be getting my answer quite yet, I promise to have it within two hours though. While she was not the type to take matters into her own hands and be that bold especially not talking to someone like Alana who was another Chosen being married to Kat had given her a lot of confidence that she used to lack. Now please, you have disrupted the peace of our house for long enough right now. She mentioned as she led the way to the door politely. It was nice to see you though, Alana. She uttered. As soon as the other woman was free of the door she moved back in the direction of her husband. You know I have to say yes right? She asked glancing up to meet his eyes. There was no way she would forgive herself if she said no and the entire tribe fell to pieces because of it. She could not watch her husband perish with a disease because of her own actions, or lack thereof. Please tell me you will come with me, as far as you can. She whispered softly.

[Lonestar]

Feylnx said his name and he felt his body go lax. It didn’t matter that he had another pinned beneath him who had threatened their life together with her words. With one syllable, one touch, his brave little wife called the Chosen to heel.
With the fight within him gone, he released Alana from the hold he’d had her in and moved to stand with his wife, leaning against her and letting the heat of her body and closeness of her scent wash away the anxiety and tension this talk had brought. He wasn’t used to feeling unstable. He was Kat, always in control of his emotions and his reactions to the events around him as long as they did not include his wife. Feylnx was his weakness, had been since the moment they’d married even if he hadn’t wanted to admit it back then. As it was, the problem of his fellows falling ill without any logical cause had been wearing him down, but to hear from the Keeper that his Fey was who could find the solution that eluded him, sent him into over-protective mode.
They all knew that whatever was causing this plague of the shifters was dangerous. Kat had risked his lover’s safety once when facing down evil, but he had been capable of keeping her safe, had he not been foolish enough to leave her back at their campsite all alone. On this trip, based on what Alana said, he would have to let his bright little squaw go it alone.
Kat immediately rejected this idea, going frantic inside with his need to keep her safe, but he knew that it was not just his decision to make. Feylnx’s opinion was paramount now and he had a sinking feeling that he already knew what she would say.
Keeping his unwavering gaze pinned on the Keeper, he watched the woman stand and brush herself off before looking expectantly at his wife.
Pride filled him at the authority that Feylnx used when addressing Alana. She was his wife and therefore had his rank within the tribe and was finally beginning to recognize that she could use it to her advantage. Although technically The Keeper was above the rankings of the Chosen and therefore did not abide by their authority, she still bowed her head in understanding at his wife and moved towards the door without needing to be prompted.
“Of coarse. You have much to discuss. No need to contact me when you have decided. I will know what choice you have made when you make it.” She informed them before slipping out their front door and back into the dawn where she’d come from.
Kat breathed a sigh, relieved momentarily at the peace that quickly returned to their house, until Feylnx turned around and looked at him with her decision already in her eyes.
He swallowed hard, pushing down the instinct to instantly forbid her from following the God’s path and simply let her say her speak. Once she was close enough, he folded her within his embrace and brought her close to his chest, setting his chin upon her head. Even with her this close, he could still hear the plea she whispered against his body and he fought the shudder that ran through him.
This was not what he wanted. He did not want her chasing after whoever it was capable of targeting the Chosen, especially if the Gods were involved. But, he recognized the resolve in his bride’s voice and knew it was hopeless to try and talk her out of it. Still, he had to try.
I don’t want you to go Fey. With the Gods involved, the situation makes me very wary. I don’t trust them, even the Trickster whose favor I have. We are just pawns in their little games; disposable. To me you are not replaceable. You are my one wife. He spoke his fears with her still clutched to his chest, but upon stopping, gripped her upper arms gently and put her at adequate distance for him to look into her face.
There could be another way. It’s a sickness, like any other it should have a mode of transmission. I will find it and isolate it. Although he was desperate for another solution, he hated that his words sounded perilously close to a lie. They hadn’t figured out how the illness was transferring from one shifter to the next yet, and he was pessimistic about their changes of actually finding it before they were all dead. But he would try. If it kept his Feylnx here where she was safe from the Gods plans then he would not rest until he made some progress. Still, he knew she would be able to see right through him and understand that he did not have full faith in this alternate plan and she needed reassurance from him that if she chose the path offered by Alana, that he would not let her travel alone.
You know I will follow where you go. It’s my duty to keep you safe. He assured her before pulling her back into his arms and holding her body tightly to his own. He wanted to tell her that if he were set to die anyway, that he wanted to spend his last moments with her, but knew better than to speak words that would only upset her. Up until Alana had come in here and pointed it out, they had strictly avoided the possibility of him falling ill and following his brothers and sisters to the grave and he did not intend to be the one to bring it up now.

[Ayrn]

She could not believe the affect that she had over the man, the fact that he looked a lot more relaxed the moment that she uttered his name caused pride to swell in her chest. She never thought that something like this would be happening. She never wanted to hold power over him, she adored their marriage and she adored that the two of them were a lot closer than they had been when they had first been arranged to be married. Things were very different from that time. She had always prided herself on being as dutiful as she could be as a wife but she thought that things were not going to go much further than that, she certainly never thought that she was going to find the key to a softness in the man. She didn’t exactly disapprove of the grip that he had held Alana in but she didn’t feel like they needed to be stomping the guest into the floor of their kitchen when she had information that they both needed about something that scared her. Something that had been at the back of her mind for the last little while. Something that she wanted to be solved but she never thought that she was going to play any sort of a role in that. She was always sure that Kat was going to be able to find something that was going to link the people that had fallen sick, he was so smart and she had absolute faith in her husband. When he joined her again her hand was raised to run lightly along his back in soothing patterns as she watched the woman in front of them. She certainly did not want to be seen as his weakness since she knew that she found strength in being close to him and being around him. The union between them made her feel a lot more powerful if anything and she hoped that with the emotional support that was undeniably loyal that he felt the same not weaker because of her. She hated the idea that what Alana was asking of her was going to possibly create a rift between them but she did know that it was important. There was no way that she was going to sit back and not do something if she did not know that her husband was going to be there with her. What if he caught this illness, there was no life for her if he was not with her. She was invested in their relationship and she knew that there was no other man for her, never would be. He protected her in everything that he did and now it was the time for the roles to be reversed, time for her to protect him. She knew that he was not going to like it but she would not be able to forgive herself if she lost him. She loved him and there was never a doubt in her mind about that even if neither of them were the best with words, she was getting better, she was getting a lot bolder now that she realized that she did not need to refrain but that was all because of him and his good influences and the way that everyone treated her with respect in the tribe now. She nodded curtly not feeling as bold as she had been when Alana expressed that she would know what decision they had made by their actions. That was very true and she was glad because she was not all that social and preferred and easy life tucked away from the rest of the tribe where they lived in the woods. The less that she talked to people the better, she was happy in her own little world with her husband. Her eyes were closed when she was brought close to him, inhaling deeply with her forehead resting against his chest, this was home to her. She reached up to press her hand gently to his cheek with a soft expression. And you are my only husband, so that should mean you understand that I could never forgive myself if I did nothing and you fell ill. She told him softly biting her lip. I cant lose you Kat, you cant tell me everything is going to be fine because neither of us know that. She whispered gently. You cant protect me if you are ill or pass with the illness. She told him trailing off, there was no way that she even wanted to think of that. It made her feel sick to her stomach, they were too young, they had their entire lives ahead of them and he was not going to be taken away from her. She might be shy but the protective instinct was still there. She glanced up at him when he mentioned that it was his duty to follow her where she was going and to protect her. You are an amazing man, I love you. She told him, averting her eyes since she was never able to be bold enough to actually utter it with courage. He didn’t need to say anything at all but she did need him to know that it was the way that she felt. We should leave then, before someone else gets sick.. She told him, she was terribly nervous about all of this but she did know that she was going to be able to do it, or at least try, all because her husband was there as moral support and it was just what she needed.

[Lonestar]

Kat blinked down at his wife, hearing her words reverberate within his ears. The part of him that once believed no one could ever love him except for the two people that gave birth to him wanted to deny what she said. He wasn’t loveable; he’d made sure of that by pushing everyone else away. There was no way he would ever cause anyone pain because no entity on this earth cared for him. Except, this small little woman had worked her way into his life, into his heart. The man realized he knew she loved him even before she ever spoke the words aloud. And he loved her back. How could he not?
Pressing closer to her, he let his forehead rest against hers, his throat constricting as he forced himself to swallow. The words were on his tongue, but he couldn’t seem to force his mouth to speak them. Instead, he tried to show her how he felt by pulling her against him and kissing her lips softly. Feylnx and those three little words meant more to him than he ever thought possible and he hoped that she knew his true heart, even if his lips were too traitorous to iterate his feelings.
Call your father and ask him to watch over the house and the horse while we’re gone. I’ll start packing. His deep vocals directed her after the man sighed, resigning himself to follow through with her plan. He knew his bride by now and just by looking at her he knew that she was resigned in this. It would be pointless to argue and only cause her emotional pain.
Reluctantly, he released her and retreated to their bedroom, pulling out the few suitcases they had from beneath the four-poster bed and beginning to load them with clothes. Normally, he would suggest they take a plane since it was the faster method by which to travel, but with Gods involved, Kat felt it would be safer to stick to the roads. It would take them a little longer, but at least they did not run the risk of being shot out of the sky by a stray or intentional thunderbolt as a consequence of the Gods bickering.

[Ayrn]

She watched him the entire time after she told him that she loved him, it was true and she knew it in her heart. There was no one that would affect her the way that her husband had and no one that would come close to meaning as much as he did. Kat was her entire world and even if there was one day that goodness forbid he did not come home she knew that she would be a widow for the rest of her life. She would not be with anyone else when she was all his. Just even thinking about something happening to him made her queasy though, it couldn’t, they had too much that they needed to do and there was too much time they had left to spend as man and wife. She counted on this not being their last adventure even if she knew that her husband hated that she was dragged into this life. She was helpless in his eyes given the fact that she was not blessed with the same immortality as he was. She was just a human, nothing more. She was sure that it was that same delicate nature that drew him to her though, or maybe it was a combination of everything that they were to one another. She didn’t need to hear that he loved her, she didn’t know it to be for sure but he did care about her and that was enough. One day she longed to hear the actual words if he would be able to manage them but that was not today. Her breathing was steady and even, calm, when he pressed his forehead to hers and the two of them stood that way for a moment. Just reveling in one another for the brief moment that they were going to have before they were going to need to get on the road and travel to where she was going to be able to try her hand at saving the entire tribe, the Chosen. It sounded like a large responsibility that she wanted nothing to do with but if it was going to help someone then she was never going to say no. She was never going to turn someone down in need since that was not her and never would be. She certainly would not say no when she knew that whatever was going on with the tribe was putting her husband in danger and it didn’t matter that she was scared that she was not enough to do it, she found strength in the way that his lips touched hers, so soft and gentle unlike the man that she knew at first when they were married. A curt nod was given when he told her to call her father and tell him to look after the house and the horse while the two of them were gone, she knew that it would not be a problem at all. She made the call and was soon joining him in their bedroom throwing what she needed in a suitcase and zipping it up before too long to carry it out in the direction of the driveway.