In My Time of Dying

She’d told herself that she’d find her sister -- because by default, Amaranth had become her sister, right? Wasn’t that how these things worked?? -- to help her find something for her husband. And yet, some stubborn part of herself talked herself out of it, and decided that she’d do it herself, gosh darn it. She didn’t need no sister’s help; she had this under control.

Did she really, though? No. Oh, no, not even close, but Harper was not going to admit defeat! Yet, she had been defeated by a meaningless, pointless task to find something perfect for him, when she didn’t even know him or what he liked. He had liked her enough to wed her after their fun time together, but aside from that, he was a complete mystery!

And Harper did not like mysteries. So, she set off in an attempt to find this perfect thing that did not exist. A trip into the unknown, Harper decided it best not to tell her family, or her collection of sisters, where she was headed - mostly because it hadn’t been planned. She wanted to find something for him, because despite a wedding, she wanted to give him a gift. It had to be perfect, and thus, she went off to exploring the mountains for this perfect thing. The type of perfect that ‘she’d know it when she found it’ type of perfect.

Only, that had been three days ago and now Harper was in the middle of nowhere, likely lost, but refusing to do the wolf thing and use her nose to figure out who or what was nearby, because hello, Harper was stubborn. So she sat down with the flicker of her ears as her stomach growled at her to be fed.

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 He was so happy to have his Papa Crux back, things felt as if they were falling back into a semblance of normalcy. However, he was still bored and still unable to find teachers to help him with learning how to fight and protect his pack! He was a brave little fawn but his bravery would amount to nothing if he didn't have somewhere to throw all that energy... He remembered all too well that attack on his person. He didn't like that feeling of fear, that prey-drive, that rose up inside of him. No. He needed to learn how to combat it. He needed to learn to be like the wolves that he lived here with.

 That was what motivated him to rise in that day, to try to do what he could to help train himself. What that was today, was leaving the campgrounds to do a bit of "patrolling" just like the warriors in the pack did. He didn't exactly cut an intimidating figure, however, as he pranced around the territory with his tail raised in what he thought was a confident gesture. After all, that was how the wolves did it so he would too. His deer body language was growing less and less by the day as he was tempered by his canine companions into something that was a deer on the outside but wolf-like on the inside.

 As he pranced along, he could smell something along the breeze. A wolf... but he knew that this was not the Ichorwood scent. Part of him felt the urge to run, the other half wanted to investigate. A warrior would confront a foe... but he remembered that Papa Crux warned him of stranger wolves that would try to eat him. He felt a corner of his lip pull upwards in a disdainful expression. Being eaten... he would never allow that to happen to himself.

 Surely a stranger wolf would know not to cross the markers, or at least if they were a stranger... maybe they were friends to Ichorwood and he smelled all over like Ichorwood. The smell of lupine clung heavy to his coat. So, with that in mind, and the thought that he could call for help if needed, the young fawn followed the scent towards the stranger.

 He didn't come out of the undergrowth and present himself altogether... no. He instead hid himself nearby, slate eyes focused in on the dark she-wolf before him. She was very large and seemed disgruntled. Was she lost? Searching for something?

 Like his Papa Crux?

 The boy thought to himself for a moment and then decided to test his luck from the cover of the brush, hopefully he was concealed enough that she'd hear him but not necessarily see him. So that he'd be safe from first hungry impressions. "You looking for Papa Crux?" He had heard talk of alliances and all sorts of things like that... maybe this was alpha that sought out a strong pack like theirs. He felt quite proud of that thought.

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What had it been that he’d said, something about the trees; something about the fall? The words did not and would not come to her, as she stared off into the distance. An ear flickering here and there, as well as the tip of her tip and an idle grumble. She really ought to listen more, but heck, his face had been so pretty, that most of his words went into one ear, and out the other.

There was movement around her, as Harper studied the beautiful red leaves from some distance away. What type of trees were these? Did they sprout seeds, like maple trees? Oh, they’d look beautiful in Elysium; like little reminders of this place. That seemed like a very good idea, in hopes that these trees had seeds. She stood to approach one of the trees, when suddenly, the forest spoke to her.

The forest had a very young voice, who knew her husband, and called him Papa? Oh my, Crux hadn’t told her that he had somehow fathered the entire forest! Harper shook her head. No, there was a more logical explanation to this. Right? She wasn’t going crazy. Crux did not father a forest.

She slowly looked around, eyes narrowing. The voice was young, and the speaker was hidden. Nostrils flared, though she picked up nothing canine aside from the scent of what she would assume to be the dominating pack, which was also assumed to be Event Horizon.

“Not.... quite.” Harper whispered softly, hoping to lower her voice so much so that that speaker would be forced to show themselves in order to hear her. “I am looking… for someding for Crux. A erm, spescial gift, if you will.”

Harper would say, nodding her head, despite, you know, talking to herself. “Crux has babes he lie to me abouts?” Perhaps he didn't truly deserve a special gift after all. 

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 It seemed as if his whereabouts was safe... for now. The large she-wolf did not seem to be able to locate him and so he remained hidden in the brush, large eyes watching her evenly and curiously. The woman spoke but her voice was so very low, he craned his ears forward to try to pick up her words but it was hard to hear... especially because her voice had a strange lilt to it. He cocked his head to one side, brow furrowing as he tried to figure out why her voice sounded so strange. Subconsciously he crept a bit closer, but not quite out of his hiding spot, so that he could try to pick up her words easier... but it was no easy task.

 He grunted in frustration as he had more difficulty understanding her. She had mentioned something... something for Crux, something. Special? Was that what she'd said? He straightened his head and then shook it. Not quite pleased with how these events were turning. How could he speak with her if he couldn't understand her? He tapped a frustrated hoof on the ground before he finally made up his mind. Surely she wouldn't try to go after him since they'd already spoken to each other now, right? Usually when wolves spoke to you they were far more inclined to not eat you at that point.

 So, he took a breath, kept his tail raised and stepped out of the undergrowth and into the open. Now he could hear more easily. "I'm Papa Crux's only pup." Okay, not really a "pup" but close enough, right? "Who are you?" Because he certainly didn't recognize her and it didn't seem like she was here for an alliance. She was here for... uhm... "What's a 'spescial' gift?" He was growing more talkative as he aged and more than that, he'd never quite met someone like her before, that spoke in an accent.

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Harper did not like mysteries, puzzles, or uncertainties, and she most definitely did not enjoy the idea of being watched, and being lied to. Yet, all of these things surrounded Crux and this mystery speaker. She had hoped to keep him talking long enough for her to be able to pin-point his location. The stomping of the hoof caused her to glance into his location, though she had dismissed it because talking deer was not something that existed.

Until it was. From the same location that she’d been looking at, out came a young deer, who approached her with enough confidence that Harper was almost jealous. Clearly, all of those magical roots had a very terrible after-effect of some pretty life-like hallucinations, because deer weren’t confident enough to approach their predators, and they certainly did not talk.

Or was it, rather, that Harper simply hadn’t considered them to be intelligent enough to hold a conversation, and nor had she ever heard them scream no, help, don’t eat me! Her stomach roared to life and Harper arched her brows at him with the tilt of her head. This one was either very foolish, or very brave, or.. Papa Crux. Or had possibly been too comfortable with wolves to know the difference between friend and foe? Was Harper friend? Or Foe?

Papa Crux? Surely, if this was not a hallucination, then that made her.. Momma Harper? Her ears flattened and her eyes went wide, staring at him as she blinked. No. No way. Nope. This was clearly a hallucination.

“Are you real?” Harper blinked, tilting her head as she slowly moved to approach him. There was no way that he was, right?

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 Well, now that he'd exposed himself it didn't seem as if she was ravenous or about to run at him to eat him. So, that was definitely a plus. The confident young fawn new that if he turned and ran when she wasn't about to attack him, he could very well become her meal due to some sort of predator thing. He'd seen it before, when others in the pack had gone after rabbits and things. So, he stood still and confident while the woman before him seemed rather confused about the whole thing.

 He had to admit, it was kind of funny that this lady was so confused about the whole thing. His tail wiggled a bit as he watched her carefully. Was she afraid of him? Her eyes had widened as she looked him over and she seemed like him when he wasn't sure about something. "Are you real?" Now it was his turn to be confused. Was he real? He'd never gotten that question before. In reply he nodded his head, eyes still on her as he watched the woman step closer.

 Instead of stepping back, he took a step towards her and then extended a leg for her to touch if she wanted. What would prove that he was real more than a touch? If she felt his skin and fur then she would know that he was no trick of the imagination. He already felt like he was in too deep. If she wanted to hurt him then he would certainly have a difficult time getting away now... but his gut told him that this wasn't a bad wolf. That she wouldn't do anythin to try to injure him. So, he waited with limb extended and innocent eyes on her to see what she would do.

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There was something alluring about him. The way he responded to her question, the way his little delicious head moved to nod at her. His eyes were still; his body was still, and for a moment, Harper thought he might run from her as she approached him; thought that he might sign his own death certificate by triggering the prey-drive that would have caused her to do something… that Harper didn’t want to do, right now.

No. No, instead, he moved in the very opposite direction. He did not move from her, but towards her. And while yes, this would indeed be him signing over his rights to her life, if Harper was that cruel, and despite that she was awfully hungry, and despite that she knew what deer tasted like, the wolf was too curious about her talking prey that was surely a hallincation.

But since when did hallucinations offer themselves up? Since when did deer willingly approach their predators? Her eyes locked with his in caution as she glanced from the leg, to him, then to the leg, tilting her head to the side as she slowly approached, sniffing - at first - and then slowly, booping his leg with her nose and blinking at him.

His leg swayed, sure, but nothing more happened. He didn’t turn into something else; he didn’t dissolve into thin air. She was actually, literally touching and talking to prey? She booped his leg again, if it was still there, and then she made a grab for it. Just holding it in her mouth as she lightly nibbled. Nothing life threatening. If he’d let her get this far, she’d eventually, and lightly drop the leg to approach him further; to sniff at his coat and investigate him.

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 He stood there, waiting to see what she would do with the offered limb. Would she touch it or run away? Or would something else happen? The young fawn waited and then the woman lowered her nose so that she could boop his leg. It was a tentative touch, slow and cautious. Hawking offered her a small smile, encouraging and showing that "yes" he was "real".

 He kept it raised just in case she needed to touch again and she did. Good. It seemed that things were probably clicking in place for her, right? He was about to lower his leg back to the ground when she opened her mouth and then latched onto him. His eyes widened, nostrils flaring as he exhaled a panicked breath. For a moment it wasn't her holding him but another wolf, the one who'd tried to eat him. Except this time, she was larger, more powerful with a mouthful of far more dangerous teeth.

 He let out a sound halfway between a growl and a bleat as he would yank his leg back. He would stand up tall, eyes locked onto her as he fought the instinct in him to flee. He tried to remain in control of himself. Don't run. No fear. Face down what scared you. He was not to be eaten. "Don't. Do that. No teeth." He said, forcing the words out through his own clenched teeth. He was unharmed, her fangs had not hurt him. It had just awakened bad memories. He was alive. He was okay.

 So long as she didn't expose her teeth to him again, he would remain, breathing in deep and even as he controlled himself. Allowing her to sniff but side-eying her in case she wanted to nibble again.

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The conclusion was that Hawking was quite real. It would be the smell of his fear that would trigger Harper’s sense of reality. Her eyes widened as her coat bristled, and her ears perked forward. He made some sort of sound that she’d never heard before as he took back his leg, yet he still didn’t move away from her.

She watched him carefully, tilting her head to the side for a moment before nodding softly. He’d been frightened at that moment, but acted against the instinct to flee. How bold. How interesting. Harper wondered what she could learn from him. His likes. His dislikes.

She would offer a whine in apology, though still moving to investigate him. It was his face that she wanted. Sniffing along his cheeks, at first, then slowly to his chin, and up the bridge of his nose. She’d get to the center of his forehead and pause there, sniffing softly.

She took a step closer, resting her forehead against his for a moment. “I am sorry,” Harper whispered, nuzzling him there for a moment before she planted another series of kisses, almost in a motherly fashion, despite not knowing how to be a mother, while desperately trying to ignore the urge to chew on his cute little antlers.

“I did not mean to scare. With me, you are safe.” She’d said, running her nose back down the bridge of his nose, and then booping his nose with hers. And then, if he had tolerated all of that, she’d nod her head and take several steps back.

This was so strange, so exciting, so fascinating! Talking deer. “My name is Harper.” Would he need a further explanation, or was her name enough?

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 She listened to him and slowly the tension in his body would ease, bit by bit, but it never fully dissipated. He couldn't get that day out of his mind as he let her sniff him. She whined and he knew that sound to be one of sadness or apology. He would nod his head, it was fine. She seemed to be making moves to correct her mistakes so he was fine to let her sniff around his face, although he gave a small sneeze when she started sniffing at his nose bridge.

 Then, she gave a formal verbal apology with words as she rested her forehead against his own. It was a comforting gesture and he felt the last lines of tension ease from his body. This was kind like his Papa would do. His eyes would close briefly as he inhaled her own scent, committing it to memory so that he'd be able to pick her out from other wolves later. She was very sweet and he almost had the urge to curl up next to her like he would the wolves of his pack but he held back.

 "S'fine." He said, looking up at her as she stepped back. He gave a small wiggle of his tail to show that he was fine. It had just rattled him a bit.

 It was then that she spoke her name and recognition flashed in his eyes. "Harper!" He knew that name! That was his Papa Crux's mate! He bounded up to her and would attempt to rear up and lean his forelegs against her so that he could investigate her this time. "Papa Crux told me about you! Are you my 'Mama Harper' now?" Since they were all married and stuff. He couldn't remember having a mom before but he would like to think she would be good at it. She had been gentle one she realized that he didn't like the teeth and she was tender like what he imagined a mom would be.

 Would they be like a family now? With a mom and dad and him as the pup?

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He gave a cute little wiggle of his tail. Harper’s attention focused on his cute little booty for a moment, watching the tail wiggle as she realized that she’d have to learn all his little gestures and quirks.

And then she’d given him her name in wonder if Crux had spoken of her, and then he became excited. He was excited. An emotion that Harper realized, that she had never seen before; in fact, she had only ever seen fear and death. Her ears lowered until reared up and pressed and leaned his forelegs against her in more mystery body language.

She blinked, turning to look at him in shock, having not expected this reaction. Her head tilted and Harper nervously licked over her lips as she glanced at him with wide, curious eyes. What is he doing? Why is he doing it? She found that she wanted to learn everything about him.

She had expected the question, though; she’d asked that herself. And then she smirked at him with a giggle. “Yes, hello.” He certainly was cute. She would love to see her children grow up with him, Harper realized. What an odd sensation. Her children? Too bad they were all dead and she couldn't have children. Did that also mean that they didn't age? Would he be a cute little fawn forever? She stared at him very hard until she realized that he was awaiting an answer.

Mama Harper? An ear flickered, unsure how she felt about the name. Her head titled, curious now. Is this what it felt like to get adopted? “Much confuzzled. Why Mama Harper and not just... Mama? Vould that not be bester?” Harper mused, though nodding her her head. “If I to be Mama, vat call you? милашка? — Cutiepie?”

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 Yes! Yes, she was his Mama! He didn't know why he was so excited but he was! There was no hesitation anymore, he knew that if she was anything like Crux then she was absolutely perfect. He would remain propped up against her for a while longer before dropping down to all four hooves again but he did not move away and stood right there before her. If she was with Crux then he knew for sure that she wasn't going to hurt him.

 He couldn't decipher why she was staring so hard so he simply tilted his head to the side, curious as to what was going on in her mind. Had he said something strange? Or was it something else? It all came out when she spoke, confused about the name "Mama Harper". The young fawn thought about it a bit but couldn't figure out why he said what he did. He'd just called Crux, "Papa Crux" so to him it just seemed natural to call her by that moniker. He looked at her and then shrugged. Sure, just "Mama" was shorter but he wasn't sure if it was easier. "You like just 'Mama' better?" He asked. He could make an exception for her since she would be his new adopted parent, after all.

 He frowned then at the last word she said, unsure of what it meant. "Mil-aashaa?" It sounded strange and foreign on his tongue. "What's that? Never heard that word before..." He wanted to know what she meant although he was happy to tell her his name. "I'm Hawking."

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It was as if telling this boy her name had been a hidden achievement that unlocked special powers. He seemed to be more at ease around her, as if they’d known each other all their lives and not like they literally just met.

“It vould be less confuzzle for the foochur babes.” Harper said softly, tilting her head to the side in hopes that she did not offend him. Having Hawking call her Mama verses Mama Harper would better prepare her for.. something that would never come to pass.

They were all dead. (Did that make them zombies?) Which meant, clearly, that reproduction was out of the question, didn’t it? There was only one way to test this theory, but Harper wasn’t at all sure if she wanted to. At least, not right this second. She wanted to get to know her husband and her son better; she wanted to get to know her husband’s pack better. Children only complicated things, and she certainly didn’t want a repeat of her childhood.

“But if you vants to call me Mama Harper, dis is fine too.” And then her eyes flashed with excitement as Hawking tried to pronounce his first russian word. Oh! If she could teach them, then surely, all of Event Horizon would eventually come to speak it, too?? She grew hopeful for a moment. “It is my mother tongue, милый — darling. It veans cutiepie.”

Harper cooed, sitting down next to him and gently leaning some -- though not all -- of her weight on him. “мил...ашка.” She would say it again, though more slowly, so that he could repeat it - if he wanted to learn. If not, then it wasn’t a big deal. Although, it totally was; no one had ever wanted to learn how to speak her language (for her, that is) before.

“Hawking? You do not look like hawk? Is you a king? Troo king of Event Horizon?” Ha, yeah. Imagine that.

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It was as if telling this boy her name had been a hidden achievement that unlocked special powers. He seemed to be more at ease around her, as if they’d known each other all their lives and not like they literally just met.

“It vould be less confuzzle for the foochur babes.” Harper said softly, tilting her head to the side in hopes that she did not offend him. Having Hawking call her Mama verses Mama Harper would better prepare her for.. something that would never come to pass.

They were all dead. (Did that make them zombies?) Which meant, clearly, that reproduction was out of the question, didn’t it? There was only one way to test this theory, but Harper wasn’t at all sure if she wanted to. At least, not right this second. She wanted to get to know her husband and her son better; she wanted to get to know her husband’s pack better. Children only complicated things, and she certainly didn’t want a repeat of her childhood.

“But if you vants to call me Mama Harper, dis is fine too.” And then her eyes flashed with excitement as Hawking tried to pronounce his first russian word. Oh! If she could teach them, then surely, all of Event Horizon would eventually come to speak it, too?? She grew hopeful for a moment. “It is my mother tongue, милый — darling. It veans cutiepie.”

Harper cooed, sitting down next to him and gently leaning some -- though not all -- of her weight on him. “мил...ашка.” She would say it again, though more slowly, so that he could repeat it - if he wanted to learn. If not, then it wasn’t a big deal. Although, it totally was; no one had ever wanted to learn how to speak her language (for her, that is) before.

“Hawking? You do not look like hawk? Is you a king? Troo king of Event Horizon?” Ha, yeah. Imagine that.

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 Future babies? His head tilted to the side, mystified at the thought. He'd never really thought of Crux having any babies at any point in the future but now that he thought about it... it was very exciting! Imagine having little siblings. He really needed to learn how to defend the pack now! "Are you having pups?" He looked down at her sides, trying glean if he could see anything there that would point him in the right direction. He couldn't really see anything that would indicate that she was with child, however. Maybe "Mama" would be better then? If she wanted all of her pups to call her one uniform thing. That seemed fair, after all.

 Her mother tongue? "What is your mother tongue?" Images of tongues that were mothers flashed into his mind but he figured that wasn't right. So, "cutiepie". He focused on how the woman said the word to him again, more slowly this time. His large ears were tilted forward and his face was locked into an expression of pure focus. He tried again, "мил...ашка." It wasn't perfectly said, the accent was atrocious and the words were halting but it was there. He wiggled his tail a bit and said it again, with more confidence this time. "милашка!" It was better pronounced but not all the way there... but getting there. He was at the prime age for learning a new language after all. He was as interested in that as he was in learning how to fight! "Can you teach me more?" He asked hopefully.

 To be honest... he didn't know why his name was Hawking. It was just the name that his Papa gave him and he was more than happy with it. It was special in his eyes. "No, that's Papa Crux." He said with a shake of his head, quite serious in that childlike way. "I think Papa Crux liked hawks." Which was the only reason he could think of the name.

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It was an interesting thing, to look over at a fawnling as her child. Harper had never adopted anything before. Then again, Harper hadn’t really adopted Hawking -- he had totally adopted her, and that was just fine, too. At his question, about puppies, and the way he looked at her, Harper chuckled softly with a gentle shake of her head. “Not rite dis sex, no, but some dime soon, mayhaps?”

But they were dead. Did Hawking know that? Crux had to, right? A cutiepie deer speaking Russian, however, caused her to smile with a chuckle. Was he really wanting to learn? And as if he had heard her question, he requested to learn more. Her tail beat at the ground as a response and she smiled at him. “Tis Russian, Hawks. Vood luv to show more. Vat you vish to say?” And unlike Amaranth, he might get lucky and actually learn whatever it was that he wanted to say. Or maybe she’d teach him to call all of Event Horizon a smelly moose.

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 Oooh, soon. He nodded his head. Perhaps fellow pups in the future that he could help. He wondered what it would be like to have little pup siblings, to be able to have more playmates and maybe take them out on adventures. It was a very exciting thought, actually. He hoped that they would have pups really soon. Baby brothers and sisters. He smiled at the thought.

 Russian. He'd not heard of it before but he was glad to learn it. The little fawn would soak the information in like a sponge as he looked up at her. What did he want to learn? Hmm... He screwed up his face in thought, one eye squinting as he looked upwards as his mind began to ponder all of the possibilities. There were a thousand and one things he could ask her to teach him but it was hard to narrow down a singular thing. Hmm...

 Finally he plopped down next to her, his own tail hitting the ground in a similar fashion to her wagging one. "Everything." He said with a cheeky grin. He wondered if she'd comply with the request or if she'd tell him to be more specific. The basics would probably have been a good place to start but he was wanting to learn it all. How cool would it be to be able to talk to someone entirely in Russian?

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The dark queen would watch as the adorable fawn nodded his head as her heart sank. She hated to tell a lie; didn’t he know that they were dead and such things couldn’t happen? Ah, what it was like to have the bliss of ignorance. He had smiled, and Harper had smiled in return. Never ever did she think that she’d be adopted by her food.

Wait, did that mean she would have to stop eating deer? Did Hawks not join them for hunts? Her head titled this way and that, in her own confusion. His face was screwed up and it caused Harper to blink at him with arched brows.

And when he spoke, Harpe felt bittersweet. She almost winced. The first person to ask her to teach them fluent russian was not a friend, or a husband, but a curious child? Her child, as of a few moments ago - sure, but still..

Harper beamed up at him with a series of nods. She’d even dare to learn over and attack his face with a few kisses as a paw came to rest over one of his legs. “As you vish, Hawks.” Harper could coo, leaning over to nuzzle into his side. “Vill you be come to feast? Vould like to Hawks to meet Smelly Moose.”

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 He knew not of the different emotions that plagued her mind. He could only see what was presented before him and with his limited world knowledge even that was misinterpreted sometimes. The only thing that he would notice was the joy that would show to him by way of affection and her words. Anything else was swallowed up by those positive emotions. He was excited. Happy to be able to learn something new from the very kind woman. Having a deer as an adopted son, she didn't seem to mind it at all. Papa Crux had amazing taste in life partners.

 The young stag nodded his head in affirmation to her question. He would certainly be there to meet everyone and he was quite excited about it. Elysium, he knew the place was named but didn't know much about the wolves except that they were allies. The young stag would fold his legs beneath him and then lay down next to her, into her side if she would allow. "I've never met a moose before." The fellow said, although he wrinkled his nose at the thought of a "smelly" one. Were they all smelly? Did all packs have a hooved member like him as well? Crux certainly hadn't mentioned that to him before.

 He assumed though that the woman would start to expand his knowledge after they met at the feast again. "Does everyone in your pack speak Russian?" That would be cool. An entire pack where he could practice new language skills.

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^^

For someone who had been half-raised by Dimas, Harper was amazingly open minded. Though, too, had Valeska been, and she had been fully raised by him. Harper had liked to believe that Dimas had failed in making them anal, judgemental canines like he had been. Being adopted by a deer was certainly interesting, and Harper looked forward to seeing this cute little fawn transform into an amazing stag.

A stag that would be her son. Imagine that, huh? A world where prey and predator were family. She could picture all these things, despite believing that they were all dead and that she would never come to have children. She could picture a grown Hawking protecting her children with full sized antlers, or finding them asleep, together, in that picture perfect moment.

“She not a real moose moose. I call her a moose, but she wolf like me.” Harper explained with a girlish giggle and nod of her head. “Neber have seen or met a moose either. Nor a cute little fawn til now.” Harper would wink at him, though she would eventually come to shake her head. “No, not eberyone. Just smelly moose sisters, though I wish..”

She would come to roll over, glancing up in the sky, with her paws curled into her chest with a deep, though content sigh. “Would you eber come for a veesit, in Elysium? You has freedom to go where want?”

^^
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 Hawking made a sort of "oooh" face when she explained that there were no real moose. After that moment of realization, he frowned, and pondered why she would call her a moose. Maybe it was just a wolf or pack thing, like some sort of nickname. That would make sense... although now he wondered if she was actually smelly or resembled a moose. Hmm... He didn't enunciate these thoughts, however.

 He felt himself blushing when she called him a "cute little fawn" and he averted his gaze as he looked down at the ground and busied himself with watching a bumblebee crawling across a flower. "You could teach everyone." Like classes or something, he imagined. Although he didn't really internalize how much work that would be.

 He watched as she rolled over and then he would scoot in closer and attempt to curl up closer to her with his head against her flank. "I would like to." He sounded almost dreamy as he imagined going somewhere other than here. He shook his head as he lay there and sighed. "No. Papa says it's dangerous so I don't get to go anywhere... at least not alone." He knew it was safer in Ichorwood but he itched see what else was out there. He wanted to explore! "I get to go for the feast though and I think Papa said we can go exploring together before then." He was so excited for that! Alone with Papa Crux, exploring wide open spaces! "When I get older though, I'm going to do lots of exploring. I'm going to learn to fight before then so I don't have to worry about being eaten." He sounded very determined because he'd already decided that that was how he was going to steer his life. An asset to Event Horizon where he'd protect those that he'd love. He just had to grow his antlers out first and learn how to spar. He tried to practice a lot to get better at it but he had no tutors yet.

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That little “oooh” face that Hawking made towards her, at the realization that she was not actually sistered to a moose, was the most adorable little face that she had yet to see him make. She supposed it would make sense, wouldn’t it, for someone of Harper’s size and… then Harper shivered with a snort and shake of her head. Such things made her think of her father. The one who was dead, by her own hand.

“Yes, would love to. Not everyone want learn though.. I not, um… pose self on thems tho. They not want learn, I not force. They must want it by self, like you.” Harper would coo, nodding her head as her ears came forward.

What did the fighting have to do with not getting eaten? He did not have to fight Harper, after all. Though he’d said something that caught her attention, and Harper tilted her head. When he gets older? Harper arched a brow, debating asking him to elaborate.

To Harper’s knowledge, they were all dead, after all. But instead, she would smile and lick her lips. Not because she was hungry, or because she was thinking of nibbling on him, but because she had an idea. “And who be your fight teachor?”^^

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 Everyone didn't want to learn? Why not? He frowned, thinking about this new thing. Why wouldn't anyone want to learn all they could? That's what he wanted to do. It was why he wanted to explore outside of Ichorwood when he got older, he wanted to see and learn all that he could. But regardless, he would nod his head in understanding. He could understand not wanting to force anything on anyone. Let them come to her and all that, no rushing.

 With his next words he noticed the inquisitive way that Harper looked at him but he didn't know why or which part had her confused. He didn't elaborate, he didn't know which thing to elaborate on so he would let her speak to him and ask the question. Ah, his teacher! That's what she was confused on. "Well... uhm... I don't have anyone. Yet." That was still a work in progress... a so-far very difficult work in progress. "Papa Crux says I should practice with pups my age first and we can find a deer-teacher for my fighting later." Although, clearly with his previous answer that hadn't been found yet. Maybe when he got older and was able to wander then he would be able to pick up an instructor on those arts. "I wrestle other pups when I can." When he wasn't doing that he was sparring with imaginary opponents but he kept that to himself. Last time he'd been sparring those opponents he'd gotten his antlers stuck in a mess of leaves.

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The idea of a little deer wrestling children was both alarming as it was adorable. The little deer had sharp, sharp hooves that could do real damage if they were not careful, though Harper supposed it was not her place to say, though she was curious how a deer would fight off a pack of wolves. One wolf, sure, but wolves hunted in packs. Surely, he knew that, didn’t he?

Did Crux have an end game for Hawking? Hawks knew he was a deer, which was good at least. Did that mean that Crux and Event Horizon did not eat deer? Was it expected for Hawking to remain in the pack, or would he eventually go on to a herd?

“I has idea. I be teacher? If want! No pressure. You could travel to Elysium with, meet more woof, get to know like I will Event Horizon. Least you not stuck in one spot all time, yes? We could even go on other trips, if want. I go on Honeymoons after wedding, to here. We can take first trip then?”

^^
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 She be the teacher? He perked up, excitement glittering in his eyes as he considered the possibility. He had no deer teacher now and even if he did find a deer teacher, he didn't see how it'd hurt to have a deer and wolf teacher. Both sides of the coin! Harper could teach him things a deer wouldn't know and a deer could teach him how to wield his antlers! When they fully grew in, anyway. "That'd be great!" He said excitedly. Not to mention it'd get him out of Event Horizon so he could visit other places!

 He had no idea what a "honeymoon" was but if it meant she would come back to visit and then take him to new places, he was all for it! "You promise?" He asked, looking up at her and trying to catch her eye. He was oh-so-excited --evidenced by the fact that his little tail was wiggling quite rapidly-- and could hardly contain himself at the ideas she was proposing. It was like a dream come true! Several, really.

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