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 Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 8:54 pm
One more day. One more day in the nest, albeit in a sleeping space of his own, if the weather permitted. One more day before Thorn left Liam's territory as an adult, his new territory an entire flight away. Liam tried not to think about the vacancy that would come from the loss of Thorn's fluffy form. After all... there would be somebody in it, at least part of the time, when she wasn't working. It would be a new niche in his life, but one that was more than entirely welcome. Thorn had taken his leave of Liam after graduation; he had wanted to go talk to Lore about a partnership, so Liam was left alone with Hazel, a situation he was admittedly thrilled about. After all... with Thorn out of the nest... he could have a good deal more time alone with his mate. Turning to her as Thorn, Rika, and Cassiel ducked out of sight, he swallowed and stammered a bit. "So... ah... were you planning on going back on duty right away? Because... um... if you wanted to ah... spend... erm... Hazel, will you stay with me tonight?" he blurted out finally. "Please?" He really needed her, tonight of all nights.
((Back shortly; need a shower!))
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Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 9:13 pm
((Liam is so sweet *huggles him*))
It had always impressed her, Liam's territory. The wide flat branches, the sweeping boughs of gentle leaves...it was a paradise unto itself, a haven for those in need of care and comfort. But tonight it seemed the comforter was the one in need. Hazel had noticed it first and obviously at the graduation ceremony, days back now. Thorn's growth and soon to be departure weighed heavily on her mate. And who could blame him? Thorn was like a son to the minder, and now he was leaving. Off to his own nest, his own home...Hazel knew that her job had left Liam alone most nights, but until now he had had Thorn. Thorn had been there before Hazel had even known Liam...and the loss of one so close had to be devastating, even if they were only moving to another part of the forest.
On the other hand, Hazel too could not deny looking forward to spending some alone time with her new mate. They had become mates just as Thorn was really blossoming into an adult, and any sweet moments they had shared had been slightly subdued. Looking at them as a pair, you almost wouldn't know they were still newly-mated. Their was a calm love, not one wild with young passion. And so it was with some shyness that Hazel turned to answer her Liam's equally flustered request. "I...I wasn't planning on it, no...I was thinking I'd stay a bit, take a holiday." She blinked as he stammered out his offer to her. "Liam...Oh Liam, of course I will." She pressed to him, lovingly preening his chest and face. She knew he needed her. Any Sentinel with half a mind would be able to see that. And even if he hadn't, she wanted to stay. To be here for him just in case.
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Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 10:47 pm
He'd never really formed any upsetting connections before, not like this one. He'd even had to share his own parents with other juveniles- not that he'd minded, but he felt drained now that Thorn was leaving. Liam knew that time with Hazel would take his mind off the emptiness, and a night... wait. Did she say holiday? As in, more than one night? She'd be there when he actually left? Liam's feathers twitched with a sudden warm happiness. He flexed his wings forward, pulling Hazel in a little closer, leaning into the preening and nibbling her facial feathers in return. "Mmm... stay... the whole time, maybe?" He felt strange, and he knew it sounded strange, asking his own mate to stay in his nest with him, but their relationship wasn't an ordinary romantic relationship at all. Their acceptance of each other as a life-bonded pair came from a deep friendship, coupled with the need to truly belong, 'til death does them part. "It'll be nice... you can help with the fluff during the day, maybe." An almost pleading undercurrent ran through his voice, as if this was something he was only fantasizing about, not actually happening. A few days alone... just the two of them and the fluff during the evenings... It was bliss in Liam's ears.
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Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2008 10:55 am
Hazel was sincere in her meaning to stay for a little. Not too long, she wouldn't be allowed that, but some time. A few days past Thorn's leaving for certain. She could tell how much Liam wanted her to stay, his reaching wings spoke volumes past his pleading request for her presence. Yes, she would stay a while. She wasn't ready to give up her own job yet...but there would come a day she would choose to remain here forever. Not yet, but one day.
"Yes, I'll stay..." She didn't have anyplace else to go while on holiday, and even if she had, there was no place she'd rather be. "You'd have to teach me." She admitted about the hatchlings. True, she had her natural instincts, but Liam had been trained, and devoted his life to the rearing of young Sentinels. She wanted to be able to help when she was here, or at least not hinder Liam. Of course Roth would be there to help too, but he had seemed scarce lately. Maybe he'd found himself a lady skurri, Hazel mused, or perhaps he was still put off at her for choosing Liam over himself. If Roth wasn't helping as much, then Hazel wanted even more to be of assistance. She shifted a little, settling down, saying with her body that she wasn't going to go anywhere.
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Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 9:39 pm
Liam snuggled even closer on the branch to Hazel, her small movements comforting and welcoming him. "Thanks, dearest." He tried the epithet quietly, getting used to the language of love and quiet devotion. "I'm sure you'll be a natural. You've got such motherly instincts... Thorn really loved you when you visited, you know. Yours was the third name he learned, after mine and Roth's, of course. He knew you before he knew his biological parents. And you'll have to get better introduced to Winnie, of course. She's been spending most of her time in my nest; Roth's looking after her now, in one of the shared nests. Cute little Mist fluffball... just like you like." He shut his eyes and nuzzled her, nipping the feathers on the nape of her neck gently. "But... before you know it... she'll be fledging... learning her role... and then graduation..." He smiled. "Remember ours? I was sort of like Thorn... I'd known for ages what I was going to be! So sure of myself... I even had my territory all picked out! I don't think I managed to surprise anybody when I said I was going to be a Minder. How'd you come across your territory? I never really understood why you became a Ranger... I always thought you'd be a Scout. Did my mom finally get to you after all that time? She really thought you had potential, you know." He settled down onto his feet, still cuddled up to his mate, reminiscing. Thinking of their shared past took his mind off the present quite nicely.
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Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 6:14 am
Hazel was still new to this, to having someone to love, and love her, and the simple dubbing of herself at 'Dearest' was enough to send little rays of happiness through her. In a moment of shyness she pressed her face into Liam's side, preening him vigorously until she regained her composure. "Was it really?" She murmured. She had known Thorn had been fond of her, but to think she had been the first female influence in his life...She suddenly wished she'd been around more than the few visits she had. At Liam's proposition that she spend more time with Winter she bobbed emphatically. "I would like that, I think. She's your...our daughter, right?" She sighed, thinking on how once again she'd have to leave most of the time. Maybe she really should consider what would happen with her future...if continuing her job really was what she wanted.
She chided herself mentally when she realized she'd let Liam go on talking without really listening. Luckily she hadn't missed too much it seemed. She nodded when he asked if she remembered their own graduation. She did, but as he went on more details blossomed up out of memory. She'd gone with Liam to the event, hadn't she? Of course, how could she forget, what with a good half of her young life spent in the care of his own family. "You surely did know. Even as a fledgling you tried to take care of the rest of us." She nipped him gently, half teasing. "You were good at it though. I suppose I picked my territory because it was close to the area I had my duties on." She thought briefly of her old home, the tall pine she'd nested in, overlooking a field of tall grass. It would be all golden this time of year, and the clan of mus and mice there would be out gathering...Despite not having seen home in a long time she felt very happy. Where ever Liam was was her home, she decided.
"Your mother did have a little to do with it." She admitted with a grin. "I'd already decided when she came to talk to me about it, but she reinforced my choice. Do you remember that day The Brigadier came to visit? He told all of us such lovely stories about wild adventures, and the mysteries of nature..." She fluffed a little sheepishly. "I think I wanted to be an elite. Sort of like thanking him for those stories. I know it's silly, but I'd heard from a passing elite a few moons before graduation that they really needed rangers, and I thought if I couldn't be an elite, I'd help that way." She promptly buried her head in Liam's side again, preening away to hide her embarrassment.
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Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 10:18 pm
Liam snuggled Hazel as she burrowed into his shoulder. "Mum would be pleased to know that. She retired from rangering soon after graduation and fretted a lot about it. But she missed Dad too much, and knew it was time to move back in with him. His Skurri spent a lot of time with me for a good long while after that- he was quite afraid of her Martes. I remember that day, but I didn't get to listen to the stories. Dad decided that it would be good to show me off, so he had me Minding the 'tweeners, the fledgies who were too little to be full fledglings, as he played with them. I got to hear that Noctus-awful story about Wee Squeekins and the Big Bad Parus." He nodded, a bit ruefully. "They demanded that story for weeks! I wasn't nearly old enough to be a full-out apprentice, but both Dad and The Brigadier said I was doing a fine job. I figured that his approval was worth having to hear that inane Wee Squeekins story. I learned my lesson, though. I never told that awful thing to Thorn. He grew up on Ranger stories, actually. Stories about Mum... and about you. He really like those, and your name stood as much for you as it did for the stories. Liam, Roth, Hazel, Thorn, then no, mine, and more. Those were his first words. He picked up names better than real words, mostly because he had no need for real words. See, part of being a minder is knowing what a hatchling needs and when... they don't need words until they're fledglings, unless it's somebody they want. The sound of a hatchling who's just learned to call for you is the most amazing sound in the world, to a Minder. I..." He felt himself becoming quite embarassed, then looked softly into Hazel's eyes. "I've wondered for a long time what the sound of one's own chick peeping one's name must sound like." Flustered, he looked away. It was a tough subject for them. He knew that she couldn't just up and leave her job, but working through problems was part of having a mate.
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Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 6:03 pm
Hazel nodded and listened as Liam went on, content to just relax and enjoy her mate's voice. "I remember Wee Squeekins..." She commented absently, "I didn't think it was too bad, for the little ones that is. I can't imagine stories about me. What would you tell him? Despite what they say, ranger work isn't always a great adventure. Some days, sure, but not all of them. Some days you'll find a lot of food to chase into a hunter's area, or others you have to flee from Things. Most of it is just flying though. Lots and lots of flying. But I'm glad if he enjoyed them."
Her feathers fluffed a little when Liam stumbled to express himself. she smiled and nodded meekly in agreement with his desire to hear his own chicks, but let his words die without comment. What would she do? She ached to know that some part of Liam did want children now, and that he could be disheartened in any way by her choice to keep at her job. But she wanted chicks too! Little ones of her own to care for with Liam, day in and day out...She shuffled away a little, lost in thought over the dilemma. Truthfully she admitted to herself that she was, deep down, a little afraid to have chicks. It was horribly taxing she knew, and beyond having to leave her job for a time, the thought of being too weak herself, or too small, sent shivers through her. What if something went wrong? But Liam wanted chicks, and she wanted to have them too. Her eyes met Liam's, worry plain to see. If only this wasn't such a hard choice!
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Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 7:28 pm
Liam slowly brought his eyes back to Hazel's, then winced when he saw the pain held within. He knew how much she loved the fluff, but her job... was it selfish of him to want children of his own so soon? After all, there were always younglings around in the enclave. He wondered if he could be contented with those until she was ready. He gently preened her headfeathers. "I'm sorry, Hazel love. We can wait as long as you need. Your job's important, and I can wait as long as you need." He tapped her eyelids lightly with his beak, like he would a fledgling who'd just had a nightmare, and pulled her close to him. "All you have to do is tell me when."
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Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 6:25 am
Hazel wilted under Liam's ministrations, her breathing turning shallow and rapid. "Oh Liam..." She turned her face up, nipping his beak with the utmost care. "I just want you to be happy. My job is important yes, but there are other rangers..." She crooned, leaning into him, letting her turmoiled thoughts scatter away. She didn't have to decide now. Liam had said he'd be willing whenever. She could decide tomorrow, or a year from then. And what was she doing? Tonight was about her comforting Liam, about Thorn leaving. She shouldn't be making things worse. "Thank you love...I'm sure things will happen when they're supposed to happen. We'll just have to wait and see."
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 12:14 am
"Hazel, love, I'm happy having you. I'm a simple bird, really," Liam said with a soft smile, pressing his cheek into the top of her head. "I've got my tree, my charges, my friends, and my mate. What more do I need? Waiting only takes patience, and I've got lots of that. We should cherish these peaceful days, anyways. Things get crazy when there's chicks involved... but it's the most wonderful chaos imaginable, according to my father, and from what I've observed working here. It'll be nice, being able to raise our chicks here. It's peaceful here, and safe. One of the best places to raise eggs in all of Noctua. It's where Dad wanted to move his enclave, but he'd joined it so far into its legacy, they were very stubborn. This is part of my parent's old territory, though it's nowhere near the size it was when they lived here. They gave it to me when I became a minder, y'know. Do you think it's too small? Now that you're here, I thought a little expansion might be nice. Just a few trees, or more if you need the space." He fluffed a little. Hazel was used to her space, but this was a tight-knit group here, and fledglings could seem to be everywhere. Would she find the older fluffs less hypnotic and more annoying? Not every Sentinel could stand the constant demands of insecure fledgies, though he had a deep faith in Hazel's ability.
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 7:44 am
Hazel fluffed happily. "And I have you, and Thorn, where ever he goes in life, and Winter, and a new home to come back to. It's been so long since I've really had anyone to go back to, that's all I need. When we do have chicks this would be the best place for them." She looked out over the wide platforms and branches of the enclave. "I'm sure they'll love exploring it, waddling from branch to branch eventually, and then flying." She tried to imagine it, but couldn't just yet. Would they look like herself, or like Liam? Or a mix, probably. "I remember this being one of your favorite areas when you were younger too. We'd always try to fly here from your parents' main tree, or race to it. I don't think it's small at all! Compared to my territory it's very large, tree-wise. You know that pine was my only tree, right? The rest was all field." She nuzzled closer to Liam. "It was colder there too. But it's nice and warm here."
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Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 7:43 am
Liam shook himself and flattened his feathers, internally chilled. "Mm. Field. Ground. How'd you stand it? I never could stomach going down there or even being in the open... you're braver than me, y'know, love." Fluffing himself to rid him of the thought, he briefly noticed that calling her pet names was becoming easier as their conversation went on. "Racing was fun. It's nice to see the little ones I watch do the same thing we did. It's not too warm here for you, is it? It gets really warm during the day, and the nights are pretty balmy. I wouldn't want you to be uncomfortable... I can always have holes put into the side of the sleeping space, if you ever get too warm."
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Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 6:46 am
Hazel shrugged, cuddling closer to soothe her mate, noticing his flattened feathers. "I guess I just got used to it. Sometimes when I was out for work, I would be flying..and out of nowhere the trees would end. The first time it happened I was so startled I just kept going until I made it to the other side. In hindsight it couldn't have been more than a small Open, but it seemed huge at the time." She chuckled a little. "Braver at that sort of thing, I suppose. You're braver with other sentinels though. I'm still as shy as I used to be." She fluffed a moment, looking about at the well-made cavern. It really was a fine piece of work, carved so neatly into the tree. It was much warmer than her home, but it reminded her so much of her childhood. "It's just perfect, love." She nibbled a feather affectionately, scooting to poke her head out of the entrance a moment. "It's amazing...Even here, in the middle of so many other sentinels, how wonderfully quiet it gets when everyone goes to bed. It's a perfect spot Liam, and wouldn't have you change it or anyone in it for the world."
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Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 7:14 pm
Hazel's closeness was calming, but her work still sounded frightening. Liam shuddered again. "May your work never get scarier than that. I... it would kill me if you ever got... y'know..." He couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence. The danger of her task seemed unthinkable to him, yet it was always a very present and very real danger, unwelcome as it may be. He snuggled her fiercely, not wanting to let go. Forcing himself to not think the unspeakable, he twisted his face into a happier expression. "Shy, love? I think I remember differently! Why, wasn't it just a few months ago, at the Longest Night, when you were surrounded by males, all vying for a spot by your side? I can honestly say I'd never been more jealous. That's when I really realized just how important you are to me, when you were shining in their attention. I... I love you, Hazel. Always have, but just didn't really recognize it for what it was before then." His voice cracked and got a bit husky. "Call me selfish, but I was terrified I was going to lose you then. In a way, I guess I'm apologizing for the sudden proposal. Dad always said to be real mushy when I finally asked you, but it... just seemed to fit the moment. I knew I always wanted to be flying, hunting, sleeping, working, living, loving by your side, but I only wanted it if it made you happy." He nuzzled his face deeply into her neck feathers, rubbing her nape gently. "I can't tell you how happy I am to have you here, nor how thrilling it is to know you like it. No matter what happens, you'll always be home here, dear heart."
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