Dragga's help (Draeg)

[Uskiya]

The gray femme wandered through her pack's terra. The warm summer weather was giving way to autumn. Leaves already dropping from the trees and the wind bitting. Uskiya, left by her growing pups found more time to explore the terra. Though a change in her life, more moving than her pups leaving left her somewhat secluded. Her mate, emissary of Ge-rad, was hard to find.

She had known perfectly well that his positionin the pack would cause him to be gone for many moons. But now it seemed he had been gone for too many weeks. It would help her to pass the time if any pups were left to tend to, but those thta remained didn't need a nurse.

Shaking out her coat Uskiya gave a grunt, perhaps her friend and dragga could give her some company. Raising her head she let out a howl throughout the lands. Summoning Draeg to come and help. Once she had his help when her pups were being born, he had helped her youngest pup and had countless number of times helpd Cal.

He was more than the dragga of Ge-rad. He was a friend to everyone in the pack, social and also commanding. Once her howl stopped the femme laid down to wait.

[Draeg]

Autumn was fast approaching as Draeg quickly discovered, already the ground was littered with a dazzling array of color as leaves slowly began carpet the forest floor. Each day the sun seemed to retire a little earlier as the summer season gradually drew to a close, the temperature steadily growing cooler as though preparing all of nature for the impending winter that would soon follow. Perched atop his favorite spot the amber varg looked out upon the land from the rocky outcropping that formed the foundation of the Bedded Rocks, warming himself beneath Fenris’ omnipresent glow and savoring the feeling of the cool breeze running across his worn, battered brow. Times were peaceful for once and Ge-Rad was once again prospering as a pack though its numbers recently had gone done with the departure of several of the packs younger members as well as the long term absence of a few of its senior warriors, though Draeg had learned that soon there would be new life within Ge-Rad as he had recently given the packs co-dragga, Shako, and his mate, Yelae, permission to start their own family after the white wolf had recently confronted the amber Dragga with the idea.

Pups.

Draeg couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought as he recall his last outing with Cwen, recalling how his mate had followed during his trip to visit Huts’ grave site only to come upon the amber varg in a rather humiliating position. After toying with him for a while the pair had taken advantage of the privacy, spending the night within their old hunting grounds before returning to Ge-Rad the next day. It suddenly occurred to him that Yelae might not be the only femme in need of a new whelping den soon, a light smile forming on his muzzle Draeg allowed his mind to dwell on the subject a little longer before moving on to something else. While the amber dragga was enjoying the time spent with Cwen he missed the comforting presence of his other mate, Firefly, and desperately wished to gaze upon her tan form again, the tan hybrid having disappeared shortly after returning to Ge-Rad a few moons ago. Often times he couldn’t help but wonder where she was and how she was doing.

He was shaken from his thoughts as a familiar howl suddenly sounded out from amidst the forest near the fringes of Ge-Rad, he recognized to belong to Uskiya, the packs nurse as well as mate to Cal and mother to Ayasha, almost immediately. Curious as to why she would summon him Draeg shrugged, he wasn’t exactly busy at the moment so it wouldn’t hurt to go see what she wanted. Throwing his head back he let out a booming howl, responding to the pack nurse’s previous summon and alerting her that he was on his way. Rising to his feet before quickly working his way down the collection of boulders and stone pillars, upon reaching the ground he immediately set out to find the gray she-wolf, padding steadily along the worn path that had formed within the meadow as he gradually made his way towards the forest. Once there it wasn’t long until the amber Dragga caught sight of the Uskiya laying amidst the bracken patiently awaiting his arrival, letting out a quick bark to announce his presence Draeg greeted the gray femme warmly, nuzzling her affectionately before seating himself back on his haunches. “Uskiya, this is a surprise. How have you been?” he growled affectionately. “Tell me, to what do I owe this pleasant visit?”

[Uskiya]

As she caught glimpse of Draeg, her tail began to wag furiously, she stood to greet him and nuzzled his fur in a friendly and also submissive fashion.

"Yes, I haven't seen you for some time now. I'm allright. You seem to be doing well yourself?" She asked sitting herself down after Draeg had done so as well.

Pawing at the ground she flicked away a few stones before looking back to her dragga. "I'm sorry, but I doubt this will be pleasant." She gave a small smile, trying to act okay. "Well, anyone in this pack knows. Cal has once again dissapeared. I don't know if it's emissary duty or what. But it seems no one knows." she looked away again, dissapointed in herself that she would once again bring up this problem. Dissapointed that she seemed the disfunctional mother, had she driven everyone away? Did no one love her anymore? Should she stand strong?

"We've had so many fights. I've said stupid things and its hard to tell when things are okay anymore." It seemed to her, that her past was merely repeating itself again. Rejection, loneliness.

"Draeg, my pups are gone. I have no little ones to take care of now. My duties are few if any, and I sit alone. Sleeping in my den away from everyone wondering what on earth happened? Why does it always seem that everytime I speak with somebody in this pack it's always about something bad?" She looked to Draeg, he knew Cal,they were friends. PErhaps he knew something that she didn't.

"I don't want to be like this anymore. I feel fragile and useless."

[Draeg]

Uskiya rose to meet him, her tail wagging furiously behind her as she returned the amber varg’s affection greeting before seating herself alongside him. The pair made themselves comfortable amidst the ferns and soft grass that still sprung up from beneath the earth, exchanging pleasantries as they took a moment to briefly examine one another. Still curious as to why the pack nurse had requested his presence Draeg eyed Uskiya carefully, watching as she flicked a few rocks away with a slight gesture of her paw before finally speaking. Her words came out somewhat reluctantly and Draeg could tell that despite her seemingly positive attitude Uskiya was merely putting up a front in an attempt to hide how she truly felt.

He was surprised to hear that Cal had once again disappeared, having figured that his friend had been spending the brunt of his time trying to mend his somewhat strained relationship with his family. Draeg sighed, it was beginning to look like he would have to have another conversation with Cal about getting his priorities straight the next time he saw him. Coming forward he offered Uskiya a comforting lick, his ears drooping slightly as he let out a sympathic whine. She was disappointed, possibly even ashamed of herself for asking him to join her just so she could voice her concerns to him. But perhaps most of all, she was lonely. With her pups gone and no new litters in Ge-Rad for her to tend to it was easy to see how Uskiya could feel start to feel useless, Cal's prolonged abscene wasn't helping the matter either. “So he's gone again is he? I'll have a talk with him when he gets back.” he sighed, shaking his head slightly before continuing. “Uskiya, I want you to know that you don't have to be ashamed for telling about this. As Dragga it's my job to make sure that no one in the pack feels neglected and that this sort of thing doesn't happen. I can't do anything about Cal until he gets back, but...” A knowing smile worked its way up the amber varg's features. “I can tell you that you won't have to worry about not having pups to tend to soon. In the mean time I can give you another job to keep you busy until then if you'd like?”

[Uskiya]

Letting out a small whine Uskiya listened to Draeg, knowing that he would be able to help her. If not entirely then he could at least give some advice. "It seems that he's always gone. I don't know if it's something I've done or if he's just...maybe he doesn't love me anymore."

She gave a small smile. "I know, but when you've come from a family who taught you that everything you did was wrong and that if you had any problems too bad." At the mention of new pups Uskiya perked up. Not wanting to pry she decided to file away ths bt of info and perhaps try and find out later.

Another job? She could use another job to keep her busy through the day, but at night she would be on her own. Instead of sleeping in the same area they tended to go off on their own. Each varg had a den within the boundaries to sleep.

"Sure I wouldn't mind another job. But..." She paused. "Cal never said anything to you about problems with me did he?" Never been able to overcome her puphood of being ridiculed for everything she did, the nurse always assumed she had done something wrong.

[Draeg]

Draeg couldn’t help but wince upon hearing Uskiya’s proclamation, knowing that Cal’s absence must have really wounded his mate for her to even accept the possibility that he might no longer care for her. As his thoughts dwelled over the recent absence of his friend and emissary Draeg tried vainly to keep himself calm, Cal’s absence angered him greatly, more so because of how he had left him to witness and mend the damage his actions were causing on his relationship with his mate and cubs. He was sorely disappointed by his friend’s lack of judgment though at the moment Draeg wanted nothing more than to have five minutes alone with the emissary so that he could throttle him for all the grief he had put his family through.

Biting back a slight snarl that had been threatening to escape his muzzle the amber varg took a moment to calm himself before positioning himself so that he sat closer to Uskiya, wrapping himself around her in a tight embrace and tenderly licking her forehead in an attempt to comfort the beloved pack nurse. “Don’t say that, don’t even think it Uskiya! I won’t lie to you Uskiya by telling you I know where he is or why he left. I know that you two were having some problems the last time I saw him and after my last conversation with him I honestly thought he was going to try to make everything right between you two. But one thing I do know is that no force on heaven or earth could ever make him stop loving you.” he growled in a firm but gentle tone. Then, his voice softening. “He’s always spoken so tenderly of you and the pups despite all the tension that had been developing between you two. But honestly I think he was afraid that you might hate him for taking to his job so readily and being away so often the same way Ayasha does, his quarrel with her shook him up pretty badly and actually I think it hurt him more deeply then he was actually willing to let on.” Pulling his head away so that he was looking down at the gray she-wolf the amber varg met her gaze, peering deeply into her soft golden optics. “But no matter what happened between you two or how you may have quarreled I know that he always has and always will love you. Remember that.”

It sickened Draeg to think that he might actually might be lying to Uskiya, but, in his eyes at least, it was better to speak on a positive note rather than reveal to her that his own faith in her mate was beginning to waver. In all honesty this was the first Draeg had heard of his friend’s disappearance and the amber varg wasn’t entirely sure whether Cal would return or not though mentally he was already making preparations to organize a search party for the missing emissary, Draeg didn‘t want to admit it but he was actually worried that something might have actually happened to his friend. Uskiya’s somewhat disturbing comment came as a bit of a welcome relief from his disturbing thoughts. “Family, ha, Cal has already informed me of your spiteful upbringing. I tell you this now Uskiya, blood or not they were not your family, elders don’t degrade their pups and siblings don’t try to kill you. If I ever get wind that any of your original pack are looking for you I promise I will personally make sure that they can never hurt you again. Ge-Rad is your real family.”

Seeing that he had aroused her interest Draeg smiled, realizing that news of pups might excite Uskiya more than most of pack due to her current position he decided to tell her. “Yelae.” he said simply, then flicking his tail nonchalantly. “And maybe Cwen as well. With that in mind I‘m planning on having the entire pack den in one spot for a time, to that affect I‘ll need you to watch over Yelae and possibly Cwen until the pups are born seeing as you‘re more knowledgeable about this sort of thing. Until then, what job would you like?”

[Uskiya]

Letting out a sigh as Draeg comforted her Uskiya listened. All this she had probably known, known Cal still loved her and that he always would. But history can repeat itself. That was what the nurse dreaded.

"It's not that..." She paused, having a feeling that something had happened. "Well, I guess worrying about it won't do any good. There is little I can do for him." She shrugged her shoulders in an effort to reinforce the positive things Draeg had said.

"ah yes, my family." She let out a small snarl. "I think all but one is dead. My sister, she was the only somewhat nice one to me. But even her I could not fully trust." She shook her head. "Such trials that lay in the past can surface so often. My first..." She paused.

"My first mate...atrus. I don't know if Cal ever mentioned him." She paused again, feeling the awckwardness of her past creeping in. "Well he cheated on me with Ember...and Cal and Ember have had a small past. Is it wrong for me to even think that maybe Cal would..." She broke off shaking her head. There was no way that he would do such a thing. But yet again it seemed that she was being left behind.

Trying to forget what she had said Uskiya thought about her family. "It seems like I've been here all my life. I know I haven't but this is where I can remeber being surrounded by love. It sounds stupid!" She gave a smile and a small laugh.

Her auds perked up once again. "Yelae? She's going to have puppies!" The nurse jumped up and bounded around, excited of the thought of puppies. "How exciting, I can't beleive it, our Yelae." Cheerful once again Uskiya stopped in her tracks. "Then I'll have to make sure there are plenty of dens around for the pups to scurry about in."

She turned back to Draeg. "Job, haven't I got enough?" She laughed and padded back over to him. "It'll be nice to have pups in Ge-rad again."

[Draeg]

The apprehension that flowed from Uskiya reminded Draeg vaguely of the streams and rivers that ran throughout Ge-Rad, each channel twisting and turning as they steadily merged into something greater. In a way the streams and rivers were like problems, each stemming from a common source and branching out to form more intricate design until it became nearly impossible to tell just how far the problem went. Something else was troubling Uskiya asides from Cal’s unforeseen disappearance, making her doubt her mate’s feelings for her and whether their relationship would survive his absence. Sensing her distress Draeg wrapped himself tighter around the gray femora, gently licking her brow as he tried to offer some semblance of comfort to the beloved pack nurse. “Hey, everything will be okay…I promise.” he growled soothingly. “Why don’t you tell me what happened?”

A low rumble formed in the pit of the amber varg’s stomach as Uskiya went on to tell him about her first mate, Atrus, explaining how she had left him after discovering that he had cheated on her with the she-bitch of Sarnes, Ember Lily, and voicing her fears over the seductress’s history with her current mate. Given the fact that he had taken on two different mates at relatively the same time Draeg knew that he wasn’t in any position to pass judgment on anyone, especially seeing as he had recently become aware that Demon, the newly appointed Drappa of Dreogan, had bore him a son as the result of their brief coupling a little over a year before. Still Draeg couldn’t help but feel a twinge of resentment towards Atrus for cheating on Uskiya, and while he was surprised to learn that Uskiya could actually believe Cal might be capable of adultery deep down Draeg knew just as well as she did that her mate was just as susceptible to following his hormones as Draeg had been.

He was unsure whether he should try to comfort the gray femme or not, Cal had never mentioned Atrus to him in the past leaving him somewhat at a loss for words. Not that he blamed his friend for withholding anything from him, Atrus affair and Uskiya’s life prior to joining Ge-Rad were really none of his business even if he was Dragga and he had no right to pry. Still this put Draeg at somewhat of an impasse seeing as he wasn’t sure if he should be as blunt with Uskiya as possible or simply continue to reassure her about her mate. “Unfortunately I’m probably not the best varg to be giving you advice about adultery, especially given my current relationship with Firefly and Cwen.” he began, allowing his ears to droop as he let out a slight sigh. “Uskiya, I honestly don’t know what to tell you about Cal other than he loves you, the question you have to ask yourself is do you love him enough to forgive him if he should anything. I’m not saying that he’s done anything and I’m not saying that he hasn’t, quite frankly I don’t know, but you have to trust him. Think of all he’s given you and remember everything he’s done for you.”

The atmosphere grew progressively brighter as Uskiya suddenly began jumping around excitedly upon hearing the news of Yelae’s upcoming litter, her depression forgotten at the thought of new life within Ge-Rad. Watching her Draeg couldn’t help but smile as he watched the pack’s nurse immediately begin planning for the upcoming preparation that would need to be made to accommodate the pups before finally padding back over to him. “Yes, she and Shako are both really excited about all of this though I think that Yelae might be a little scared.” he chuckled, batting a playful paw at the rambunctious femme. “Perhaps you could help watch over her until the pups come, it might help a bit with her confidence and besides I’m sure she would appreciate the gesture.”

[Uskiya]

"Well, I don't really know what happened. He's always gone on his emmisary duties but this time he's been gone too long. I don't think he's hurt, but I think he isn't coming back on purpose." She sighed, momentarily pushing away the happiness of Yelae's puppies soon to be.

"I'm excited for Yelae, and the pack. But how can I be fully happy? I know no one is asking me to be, but I don't want to bring down the pack. We've been through a lot of hard things, and now my mate seems to be doing something else and not coming back.........again." She let out a growl wrapped around a sigh. She was hurt, but she was also annoyed with her mate.

"Draeg, you love both Cwen and Firefly. I don't know if Cal loves anyone but me, why would he? Do I not satisfy him or something?" She stood and paced about for a moment. "Trust him.......my trust has been missused in the past, it's hard to give it fully. But I did to him. And he's not home, he was never home for long. How could I forgive him if he does what Atrus did?" She growled just thinking of Ember.

"Ohh.:" She gave a snort and went to pacing. "There is too much to do around here to be worried about a mate who's never there. I might as well be a kerl again." She sighed and turned to Draeg. "Am I being to harsh?"