pop the trunk // temporary return

[Atticus Roux]

His leave was... sudden. Amidst his frustration, the canine had left with the breeze and went back to The Pitt, just like he did as a kid. Instead of facing his problems head on or telling anyone, he just left. Atticus could remember Ivan threatening him for his abrupt leave the first time and he feared the result would be the same from Sweeney as he wandered closer to the marsh's border. Somehow, he doubted it though. Life had changed since then. The family that had left him stranded, Selby, Aurum, and his siblings, were nowhere to be seen. Their negativity had dissipated. In return, Moth's gracious love and Sweeney's attentive attitude had kept him afloat. He wanted to believe this time was different, but doubt festered in his thoughts.

Atticus' paws paused at the scent border. Anxious claws sheathed and unsheathed repeatedly, stabbing at the floor below him. With parted jaws wrapped around a bundle of stems, golden eyes looked down. Red and yellow petaled roses graced his vision. A color was assigned to each of them. The crimson-colored flowers were for Sweeney and the golden ones were for his mother. While in theory it wasn't much, he hoped it would at least satisfy the two he had left behind. The journey to acquire them in a dry desert and dethorning them was an adventure, after all.

A sigh him. Was it worth it? Dropping the flowers onto the soft ground, Atticus awaited for the Tanglewood members to arrive at the border.

[trojan g.]

[align=center][div style="width: 60%;text-align: justify;font-size: 10pt;"]When Atticus had left, Sweeney had been heartbroken. She had known that, eventually, he would go back to the Pitt, but she had thought it would be with her, considering how much she had wanted to go home. She had been staying in Tanglewood making sure that Atticus was better before she left, before she went back home with him, if he had even wanted to go back home to the Pitt. She had been on the fence about it, ever since his mother came back she had been worried that he'd rather stay in Tanglewood with her than stay in the desert they had called home for all of Sweeney's life and the majority of his own.

It seemed as though she needn't worry about that though, considering one morning when Sweeney had woken up, he was gone.

At first, she was angry, mad that he had left without so much of a goodbye, and eventually anger turned to worry as she hadn't heard anything from him. She had assumed he'd gone back to the Pitt without her for whatever reason, but she couldn't be sure, so she stayed. Stayed in Tanglewood, in Moth's home. She stayed in territory that was both unfamiliar to her and didn't want her. She was a Pittian after all, and she knew the history that Tanglewood and the Pitt had with each other. Hell she'd lived through some of it. Watched as they burned her father alive just because of who he was. She knew that, at some point in their lives, there were many here that had wished that upon herself as well. So she'd stayed hidden, until she eventually mustered up the energy to come out once more, ready to leave Tanglewood in search of the one she loved.

It seemed as though she didn't need to go far though, for when Sweeney had gotten to the border of the swamp, there he was, flowers by his side and a regretful look upon his face. Anger flared in her for just a moment as the realization of him just up and leaving to go to the Pitt crossed her mind as the scent of the Pitt washed over her senses. Then she was grateful that he was there, waiting, and she ran up to him in an attempt to tackle him in a hug, head moving forward to nuzzle his chest. "I was so worried about you." The kitsune would speak at last, looking over the other for a moment as she backed up, "I didn't know where you went."

[ATBASH CIPHER.]

ATBASH CIPHER

everything's just come together at last !

Atticus and Atbash had gotten off to a bad start, with her not really knowing the Roux member well and with his first meeting with, presumably, having been during that meeting Aurum had where she spoke of her feelings regarding The Pitt. It seemed as if Atticus had gone back home to The Pitt, though Atbash didn't really realize it at first. She didn't particularly care for him either way so it took her a moment to even realize he was gone.

Ironically it wouldn't take her as long to find him, mostly driven here by the sound of Sweeney's excited voice and the rustling of bushes and undergrowth. "Oh, it's you." Atbash was clearly unhappy to see Atticus, her short tail twitching as she blinked at the wolf. "Are you just visiting or are you... staying. Again?" Her voice came out gritted, with the she-cat clearly displeased at the idea of that.

female | shaderunner [shp] of tanglewood

© madi

[suvi.]

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SUVI K̴II͞R̷A̵ NÍ FAOLÁIN
TANGLER
TAGS && INFO

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On her walks beyond town, the scrawny vixen didn't linger near the border often.  No reason to... Although the thought of visiting the Typhoon had crossed her mind in more recent days.  Had family there... S͢ù͘͠v͡i͜'s... Or well.  Some family.  Last she saw her uncle Kian had been on the Pitt's border.  Strange but... He was a friendly and familial man... And the Pitt was where their cousins lived.  They counted as family.

Her ears caught Sweeny's voice first, before flicking down sharply at the rudeness in Atbash's.  Not doing the Cipher any favors for Kiira's opinion of her.  The arctic fox wore a frown as she padded over, though she quickly masked the expression with a smile for Atticus.  Didn't want to linger on the anger.  Didn't believe he deserved all the trouble he'd gone through.  Deserved some kindness.

But words... She didn't offer any.  Not sure they'd make it past her throat regardless.  Or past her own mind.  So she simply stood, smiling softly in welcome, letting the friends reunite.

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© MADI

[arrow]

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"You're back early." Casual as always, Arrow stretched before approaching the scene, deciding to limit her word count this time around. She'd said everything she needed to, and felt like saying all within these past few days, and the current time really belonged to Sweeney and Moth, if she arrived. Instead, she just stood between Atbash and Kiira, happy to see the latter out since the glitching gone wrong, [i]gently attemping to nudge Atbash in the shoulder, with a subtle shake of her head. Could she blame the savannah for her attitude towards it all? Still, no, but outward hostility never ended well, eh?

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[rhosmari]

The Luminary felt bad for Atticus' treatment and from what she was told it had been rather one sided. Some agreed that on the Pitt situation while most did not want to punish all of them for the sins of one individual. She had her own opinion but had never been asked for it and the trouble it had all thrown up had been dangerous. Making cracks within the foundation of Tanglewood. If she could avoid a war she would and she had done just that. She felt for Atticus and knew that his thoughts should have been heard. Walking with a light step forward she brushed against Arrow, tiredly. But she still had enough energy for this. This Pittian was welcomed. She was still unsure about Sweeney but she knew the other had endured just as much hardship as most of Tanglewood had.

She was happy to see him. Sitting down she would tilt her head a little bit, eyeing the roses that he had brought with him. For someone she supposed and most likely his loved ones. She didn't have much to say on this as he knew how she felt and she merely closed her eyes and listened to the greetings around her.

[Atticus Roux]

As quiet paw steps approached, the canine tensed. His head slowly turned down to the floor, looking at the dropped flowers with tired eyes, only to be jolted backwards. Atticus stumbled back as fur collided with his chest and pushed him to the floor. A familiar scent filled his nose. Yellow hues looked down at the female nuzzling at his chest in surprise and a soft sigh left him in return. Relief. Sweeney wasn't angry... at least it seemed to be that way. With her head in his paws and her body pressed upon his chest, a smile spread across his maw. Bliss dawned on Atticus for the first time in a long time.

Her elegant tone breached his ears. Regret slowly began to come back, but she seemed... relieved? Atticus merely tried to use his snout to get her head up from his chest and looking at him. His golden hues tried to lock with hers. "I'm sorry," came his lowly mumble.  "I shouldn't have left you." He tried not to make excuses. Instead, he owned up to his crime. The guilt was starting to hit him all over again and caused his muscles to slightly tense up, frozen in his spot. "I'm so sorry." In a final move of sincerity, he tried to press his nose to hers with his eyes closed. Atticus hoped she would understand, but he was wrong and he understood if she didn't, despite her current joyous reaction.

His head pulled back. More voices came. Some fumbling of others who watched in silence too. The first voice was undesirable and his eyes opened, merely shifting towards Atbash. Atticus' smile slightly faded. He wanted to head back to The Pitt, given he didn't know of Aurum's disappearance, but he didn't feel like mentioning that out loud to the public since it could patronize him further. Instead the wolf merely craned his head and offered a shrug.

Pointed features moved towards the artic fox. He firmly nodded in greeting, only to have Arrow's head brush against his shoulder. "Perhaps, yes," the canine murmured. "I'm not exactly welcome though." His gaze shifted to Elsweyr (who he presumed was a deputy still) and let out a sigh. A paw attempted to lightly caress at the fox's back, embracing her love for a bit more. He wanted to talk properly with the rest, but true she and their medic was the focus of his attention today.

[trojan g.]

[align=center][div style="width: 60%;text-align: justify;font-size: 10pt;"]Ears flicked back for a moment as the words from Atbash hit Sweeney's ears, though she paid them no mind as others came up. Had it been just the three of them at the border things could have been different, Sweeney would have said something, but she had grown old enough to know that some things were best said in private, and she knew that the words she wanted to speak to the Cipher were something that was one of those things. After all, she'd had enough embarasment from the words said at the meetings in front of everyone, she didn't need another thing to embarrass her in front of those in Tanglewood who still tolerated her for whatever reason. Once a Cipher always a Cipher it seemed though, and Sweeney had lived with enough of them to know she just didn't like them.

As Atti continued to apologize, the vixen would attempt to pull him close, shaking her head. "Stop apologizing, I forgive you and I'm sure Moth will too." She'd then try to playfully flick his ear with one of her tails before turning to those around them then, listening to the words they were saying, confusion flashing in her eyes for a moment as Atticus mentioned not being welcomed. He didn't know, of course he didn't know. Her mind would reach out then, words trying to flicker in his own He's gone, Atti. Aurum died. Sweeney hadn't wanted to believe it herself. As much as she had disliked the lion it had always seemed as though he would never die, as much as she had wished he would when she was younger. It had pained her to see Moth the way she was when it had happened though, especially with Atticus gone. Things had gotten rather awkward around Moth's home.