Returned [Rhia]

[Fortissimo]

It had been a long time since Fortissimo was able to step out into the sunlight. It was minutes before his eyes had adjusted to the harsh light of the beautiful day and he could struggle forward on sore limbs and wasted muscles, leaving the crevice, and cave of his oppressor behind. He only had one thought as his paws shuffled along in the red sand: What has happened to Rhia? He didn’t care much about the pack they started, or even about the pups they had, he just wanted to know about his mate.

How long had he been held against his will? It was hard to say. Sadly, he knew it was some months. Forte could only guess what Rhia thought. He had been taken while she was still gone, and had returned to find him gone. What else could she think but that he abandoned her? How could she know that he was just a few miles away, hidden deep in the crevice? She couldn’t. Forte lamented over the pain he must have caused her.

The dragon had been a social outcast; abused and refused by her kind. She was severely undersized for a dragon her age, just barely twice the size of a griffon. When she came across Forte in the crevice, she was just looking for a meal, but when she saw his power to create mirages, she found a better use for him. The dragon attacked him, rendered him unconscious, and dragged him back to her cave. Forte awoke caged in by a bunch of rocks that were impossible to climb.

Over the course of months, he was forced to create all sorts of images of different dragons for her: her father, her mother, her siblings, Joss who bullied her, Malik who teased her, Jodon who refused her, and Relic who she pined after. She spoke to them like they were real, and acted out past scenarios with them. “What do you think of me now Relic?” She’d say in a coy voice. “I grew didn’t I? And now I’m beautiful. Oh? You regret never becoming my mate? It’s okay I forgive you.” Whereupon she’d try to snuggle with the mirage, only realize that they are three-dimensional, not four, and leave the cave with a cry of anguish. When Forte was alone he would take a page from her book and project Rhia. He missed her dearly. He had mated with many ladies in his life, but never has had a mate. Someone whom he loved.

After a few months the dragon talked to Forte directly. She told him her name was Magnus and wanted to know about his life. When she found out Forte had a mate and pups, she wailed with envy and also with guilt. That guilt ate at her over the last few months of his capture, and became stronger as the two became friends. Finally, Magnus let Forte free. He tried not to hear her wails as he slowly made his way down the crevice and back into real life.

Now, Fortissimo blinked around him in surprise, barely believing he was back. He didn’t know where to go. Where was she? Where would she be? Magnus had flown out and confirmed that the pack was being run by a short little red wolf a while back, so where was she? Forte stretched his sore muscles, and arched his back. His joints screamed with pain. There was no way he’d be able to climb up with canyon, so she’d have to come to him. He threw back his head and let out a booming howl. The howl of an alpha returned.

[RHIANNON !]

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[atrb=background,http://i930.photobucket.com/albums/ad144/FallArrow/RHIANNONbg4.png] It was happening. The slow ebbing of her mind, as her sanity raced away with the time. The tournament was done at least, and so that took some stress off her mind. But she was losing it, and fast. Her moodswings made her prone to fits of depression, and it was surprising she hadn't faced this earlier. Her desperation for finding her daughter, her determination to keep her pack alive... all without Forte. The one, constant rock which kept her sane. Whispered promises that he'd never leave her again swirled and echoed through her mind. He had left before, and she remembered it well. Their fight, him leaving... he was gone for days, and she could barely function. It was only her second soul, Caedmon that kept her alive. When he finally returned, he vowed to never leave her again. Why now was he gone? The sadness and bitterness of the situation made her heart harden with resent and tears began to freely flow, her wails reaching louder and louder through the cave. Ahote had come to check on her, her voice apparently reaching down the cavern. Drying her eyes, she had informed him she was fine, curling herself further into the depths of the cave and covering her face with her bushy tail. With nothing he could do, the yagi had left her. She preferred being alone, and now only the occasional sniffle broke the silence. She felt numb. All her energy was gone - trying to find Isy, keeping up the pack... she could barely find it in her to eat the small bits of jackalope strewn around the den. She knew it was at least midday before she forced herself to rise and drink water. Caedmon had been bugging her to move, telling her to drink. It was only by his urges that she found the will to move again. He had kept her alive once, he exclaimed, and he would do it again. The jest brought no rise from the female as she lay by the pool, a single paw dangling into the water. She knew she couldn't stay like this, and yet, almost nothing drew her from this state. The pack had its ranks filled and so they could fill in for her. That was one thing taken care of. Her pups were pretty much old enough to care for themselves as well. She had never really been a good mother. Considering two of the pups had died early on, and another died... lost... she still didn't want to commit to the idea that Isealdyr had died. Her only daughter left, swept away by the current. The memory brought a fresh stream of tears, flowing down her maw and making splashes on the water below. Her cries almost muffled the howl that suddenly echoed through the canyon. At first it brought confusion. It had been so long she barely recognized it, and yet, when she listened more, the realization hit her like a ton of bricks. Her chest heaved and she gasped, her ears perking as she pushed herself up in an instant. "Forte." The single word was all the motivation she needed before she was tearing out of the den, her messy body propelling itself behind the falls and to the stairs. The sound had come from near the crevice. How had he gotten there. She inhaled sharply again; what if her mind was just playing tricks on her? It had happened once before and she began to whimper, torn between following the noise and just passing it off as a delusion. Her desire for it to be real won though and she found herself bounding down the stairs, ignoring the sharp rocks as they cut her pads. The cuts left smears of blood as she leaped, but soon enough the cuts were clotted. She finally was on the canyon floor, her body lurching forward as she moved towards the crevice. There, with his white shaggy pelt, messily docked tail, and swirling horns, stood Forte. She stopped at least a hundred metres back, her body unable to move any further. It had been months since she had seen him. The tears were back again, saturating her thick red fur. She was still frozen, staring with huge hazel eyes, when Caedmon snapped her out of it, urging her forward. Her body bounded forward, running full speed towards her mate. ------------------------------------- OOC ;; AMG FORTE, also please knock her up ASAP so she's preggers before you leave. xD Even if they literally mate in the next post. I just need her pregnant before you leave to have the times for with the rest of the ward pups.

[Eastern]

Forte was nervous for awhile. No one came to him, not even curious pack members. He worried over reasons why Rhia wouldn't show up: she was mad, she was gone, she was dead. It was the latter that Fortissimo feared the most, he could deal with all else, as long as she was safe. Magnus had flown out just a few weeks ago, wanting to get a glimpse of Rhia. She had seen her. But anything could have happened since then.

If it turned out that Rhia was just mad, then Forte will force her to listen to his story. He is never, ever, ever leaving Rhia again, regardless if she wanted him or not. He will shadow her until the end of his days, begging for forgiveness if that was what it took. And if she was gone, well. He'd track her of course. As simple as that.

As it turned out, Fortissimo did not have to worry. Soon a blurry speck of red appeared in the distance. Forte didn't wait, he was running toward her as fast as his emaciated frame could take him. When they finally met, Forte couldn't help but to grin, and suddenly it was like the last few months had never happened.

"Rhia, Rhia, Rhia" He chanted between licks to her face. "I'm so sorry. I never meant to leave. I was held against my will. I wanted so badly to return to you." There was a plea for forgiveness in his voice. "I love you still so much. I never stopped thinking about you."

[RHIANNON !]

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[atrb=background,http://i1185.photobucket.com/albums/z341/awaywithmysanity/RHIATABLE2.png] Forte seemed to make the same intiative as she did, bounding towards her. He looked skinnier, sickly almost, and once she was near him she buried her nose in his neck fur before letting him shower her face in licks. Her maw was creased with a huge smile, trying to return the licks with some of her own. She didn't know what to say, and so she said nothing, letting him speak first. She just wanted to be close to him, moving her body close to his, tears still streaming. "You're alive," she finally gasped, nuzzling up close to him and leaning her small body lightly against his. "I love you too, I never stopped thinking about you either," she spoke, her voice muffled a bit through her tears. She had to stop and sniff, rubbing her face against his fur. "Held against your will?" she whined a bit, lifting her head, and giving him a lick before looking over his body. He was definitely skinnier. She frowned, looking up and him and pouting. "Whose butt do I need to kick?" she said, her face getting an angry pout on it. She would avenge his kidnapping, even if he didn't want to. She circled him, making sure he wasn't hurt. He didn't seem to badly off. At least whoever had held him from her hadn't hurt him too badly. She whimpered again before throwing herself at him, burying her face in his fur again, sobbing beginning again. "I thought I would never see you again..." she whined, her eyes shut as she spoke. Only around Forte could she ever be like this. The sheer notion of being so emotionally vulnerable around anyone else made her sick. "Promise me you'll never leave again!" she growled, looking up at him with tear filled hazel eyes. "I can't to lose you again..."

[Eastern]

Forte let out a sigh of relief as his mate loved on him. So she wasn't mad. He was terrified that it would be a repeat of last time. But fortunately, she seemed to believe his story; He had been afraid that she would not.

As she looked him over, he took the time to look her over also. She didn't look like anything traumatic happened to her during his absence. No random scars, not overly skinny, nothing. He felt a huge weight left in his heart, and he allowed himself to relax. He was finally home.

"It was a lonely dragon hidden deep in the crevice who took me. I was there alone while you gone. I missed you, and it was the scene of our first meeting, so I just wandered in. She found me, and I tried to use my powers to scare her away. It did the opposite. She liked them, and carried me off to her cave, walled me in, and made me project all these different dragons for her." I smile a toothy grin. "But that doesn't matter anymore. I'm here now, and I'm never leaving you again."

Fortissimo nuzzled Rhia. She was nuzzling, licking him back. He had missed her so much, and all he wanted to do was be close to her. Fortissimo started nipping her with urgency, and pressed himself against. They had been separated for so long, and there was only one way they could properly reunite.

....fade to black?

ooc: PFFFFFFFFFFFFT. sorry, but that is hilarious.

[RHIANNON !]

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[atrb=background,http://i1185.photobucket.com/albums/z341/awaywithmysanity/RHIATABLE2.png] Just his presence was enough to make everything in Rhiannon's life better. Knowing that her mate loved her, that he was alive... that he was here. The utter bliss of their reunion left her feeling like a giddy pup. The months where he was gone now melted into a memory, and she knew her life was taking a step forward. Ahote would be so happy for her. Ahote! The pack! Her tail began to waggle blissfully as she thought of it. "Oh Forte, I have so much to tell you!" she almost squealed out the words, her side still touching his so that she would always be in constant connection with him. "The pack has grown so much since you were gone. We have some new yagi; Ahote and Dagyr. They're both very strong and wise," she nodded as she spoke, her tail swishing once more. "And there are a bunch of other members too! Some myou as well. Soon we'll have enough wolves to out number the empire." The idea of having a powerhouse against the empire was one of Rhiannon's main goals. The fact of the matter was, there were very few packs she truly considered worth her effort. Some were just too small. The Empire was the only strong pack, filled with yagi, and tough to the core. Living in the tundra did that to you. She smiled though, nothing making her mood turn sour. "We must have a celebration now that you're back! Once you're all healthy, we must play capture the tail. I'm sure the pack would love that. It would be fun; some healthy competition."